The Secrets That We Keep
by JetGirl1832
Summary: Alex Enjolras is a recent graduate of Quantico, but instead of being placed in DC like he had hoped for instead he is sent to California, specifically to a house known as Graceland which houses FBI, DEA and Customs all together. Rated T for scenes and swearing. Temporary Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So I'm seriously surprised at the lack of Graceland crossovers that have been written, so I've decided to do one myself! Please read and review and I'll love you forever!

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As expected there was loud cheering from the audience of recently graduated FBI agents as they all congratulated each other. The director, Charles Javert got off of the stage from his speech in search of one graduate in particular. "Enjolras," Javert called to the young man with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Yes, sir?" Alex turned to speak with him.

"I have news about your assignment," Javert began.

"Sir?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"You are not to be stationed here in DC," Javert sighed, "you've been put up for emergency transfer to California, you are going to Graceland."

"California? But why?" Alex asked.

"We feel that your skills are of better use there than here," Javert explained calmly.

"Yes sir," Alex nodded his head.  
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"What's this?" Tony spied a thick envelope in the pile of mail, it had the government seal on it, "ohh... So official!" Tony smirked.

"It's the file on the new kid," Grantaire called to him.

With that Tony pulled out the file and began reading, "interesting, very interesting."

Grantaire snatched the file from his hands and skimmed its contents, "Not bad," he nodded his head, "smart, top of his class."

"Hey, just like you!" Tony laughed.

"What's going on down here?" Éponine asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"File on the new guy," Tony explained as he took the folder from Grantaire and tossed it to her.

Éponine began to flip through it, "No one tell Cosette, she's in a particularly foul mood over Marius, when does he get here?"

"Today," Grantaire replied, "which reminds me, Tony, you get to pick him up from the airport."

"What?!" Tony exclaimed, "Me? How am I supposed to find him? I don't even know what he looks like!" He continued to prattle on, "besides, aren't you his training officer?" Tony pointed an accusing finger at Grantaire.

"So?" Grantaire shrugged.

"So shouldn't you-"

"Just shut up Tony," Éponine sighed.

Tony grumbled and sighed loudly as if he was trying to make a point.  
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On his flight from Dulles to LAX Alex was listening to an app on his phone that was supposed to teach him Spanish, funny that despite all his training Spanish just hasn't seemed necessary. Now with being shipped off to California he realized just how wrong he was.

"Excuse me?" One of the flight attendants approached him and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

Alex pulled out one of his earbuds and looked at her, "Yes?"

"Are you special agent Alex Enjolras?" She asked.

"I uhhh..." Alex was extremely flustered, "yes?"

The flight attendant smiled, "I have a message for you," she pulled out a piece of paper, "you are to wait by the baggage claim under the carousel 18-32 sign, and don't move."

Alex thought this all very odd but didn't bother to say anything; he knew that people who were sitting with him were giving him strange looks. Instead he just nodded and put his earbuds back in his ears.

When the plane made its descent into Los Angeles it really sunk in the he was going on his first assignment, and as he walked towards the baggage claim it all began to feel very real. After he got his luggage he did as the note directed and stood under the sign to wait. As he waited he was squeezing an odd device, it had two grips connected by a coil in the middle. He stood there listening to his IPhone and waited. Slowly the time on the clock ticked away as he continued to wait, an wait, and wait.

It had been nearly an hour and a half and Alex was getting frustrated, but he didn't know what to do or who to call.

"Yo!" A man with curly hair brown hair called to him, "You Alex Enjolras?"

Alex looked at the man he looked like he was dressed to go to the beach, was it a part of his cover? "Yes, I am... You aren't Ben Grantaire, are you?"

"Who me?" The man laughed, "nah, name is Tony Courfeyrac." He held out his hand.

Alex shook his hand, "So how did you know it was me?" Then he remembered the note, "oh."

"Seriously man, only a person who got 1700 on his practical's would stand under a sign and not move If told to do so," Courfeyrac laughed.

"Which means you didn't," Alex added.

"Ouch man," Courfeyrac replied, "that hurts right here," he thumped his chest with his fist. "Now let's get crackin, things to do people to see!" He then noticed that Alex was holding something besides his bag, "what's that?"

"This?" Alex looked down at the device, "it improves gun control."

"Okay then," Tony cracked the gum he was chewing, "well like I said let's go!"

Alex followed Tony to what looked like a red-orange Jeep that was open on the roof and sides. Alex tossed his luggage into the back and sat himself in front passenger seat. Tony hopped into the driver's side and put the key in the ignition and revved the engine a bit. "Okay man, here we go!"

They were flying down the highway, the wind was flipping throughout Alex's hair and was quickly becoming a mess.

"So what do you have in that tiny bag of your' s?" Tony asked as they pulled off of the highway onto a less busy street.

"The basics," Alex shrugged, but with the sun beating down on him he wasn't sure that what he brought was really the best option.

"Tee-shirts?" Tony asked.

"No," Alex shook his head.

"Shorts?"

"No."

"Flip flops?"

"No."

"Sunscreen?"

"No."

"Damn," Tony sighed, "either you are going to get heat stroke or your pale ass is going to burn, we have to change that." Tony turned and now they were driving along a road that was parallel to the beach, soon he stopped in front of a large house. "Welcome to Graceland."

Alex looked at it in shock, "So why is this place called Graceland?"

"Well," Tony began, "when they seized the place from this drug lord, I guess he had a thing for Elvis and the name stuck."

Alex grabbed his bag and followed Tony inside, "So what is this place then?"

"Well, we got a little bit of everything here," Tony carelessly tossed his keys onto a table in the hall, " You, me, R-"

"Who's R?" Alex asked.

"Grantaire, and 'Ponine we are FBI, Marius and Cosette are DEA, so is 'Chetta but she's on a case for a few days, and Bahorel is Customs."

"Wait," Alex stopped walking, "Three agencies in one house? How does tha-"

"It's sometimes a tight fit but we make do," Tony replied as he walked into the kitchen where there were several large windows catching view of the ocean.

Alex looked around and noticed that there was a circular chart made of construction paper, "is that a chore wheel?"

"You're familiar with that?" Tony glanced at it, "guess its simple really, for now until we get you on there you will be taking Marius' place, so you see 'Bathrooms-Marius'" he pointed to how they lined up, "Think 'Bathrooms-Alex'."

"Is Marius the one who got-"

"Yeah, in the shoulder, but he'll be alright, they've got him in a safe house somewhere," Tony answered, "next is the phone room."

Alex was a little surprised with how casual Tony was; nevertheless he continued to follow Tony upstairs to a small closet-sized room. On the table there was a wide variety of phones, all of them old, one was even rotary, some even had placards that read things such as "Answer in Russian Only".

"This is where you make all phone calls related to work and work only," Tony explained.

Just then a phone rang and a girl with long light brown hair and bright blue eyes entered, "Get out," she spoke coldly to Tony. He held his hands up and silently walked out taking Alex with him and shutting the door.

"Was that 'Ponine?" Alex guessed the first name that came to his mind.

"Was that Éponine?" Tony parroted, they were walking up some more stairs to take Alex to his room. "No, she's not here right now, that was Cosette."

"Is she usually so-"

"Bitchy?" Tony filled in, " no she's not, usually she is the sweetest person around this place."

"Is this because of Marius?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, they're partners, very close those two," Tony nodded his head, "come on follow me," they walked down a hallway and Tony pushed the door open. "This is Mar-dog' s room, but I guess it's your room now."

"It's still Marius' room," Cosette called as she came into the room as Alex put his suitcase on the bed, "don't get too comfortable, and don't touch anything." She quickly found what she was looking for and left just as quickly as she had entered.

Alex let out a sigh, "Don't worry man," Tony put his hand on his shoulder, "I think she'll be back to her old self soon enough, and when she is I'm sure you'll like her, how about we get you something to eat?" Together they walked back down the stairs to the kitchen where Tony pulled some snacks from the pantry and handed Alex a glass. Looking through the fridge he spotted a carton of Orange juice and smiled, "Hey Alex, would you like some juice?"

"Sure," Alex shrugged.

Tony passed him the carton of juice and Alex poured himself a glass, just then the front door clicked and a tall very strong looking man entered.

"Hey Chris, catch any monkeys this week?" Tony teased.

"Monkeys were last week," Chris grumbled, "this week is birds..." he then looked at Alex, "New guy?" Then he looked at the orange juice, "Screw you Tony, tricking him into drinking my juice!"

Alex put the glass down feeling slightly embarrassed, "Your juice?"

"Yeah, my juice," Chris took the carton off the counter and showed Alex where the initials "CB" were written in Sharpie, "Tony is just being a little weasel."

Alex smiled slightly, there was a thumping on the stairs and he saw a man with similarly messy hair to Tony, but instead of being clean shaven he had stubble on his face.

"Are you Grantaire?" Alex asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Yep," Grantaire yawned, "you must be Alex, the new kid on the block."

"I'm pleased to meet you sir," Alex held out his hand.

Grantaire looked at his hand for a moment, "None of this sir crap do you here? You can call me R if you would like," he leaned up against the counter, "you see the chore wheel?" He asked, Alex nodded. "Do you know how it works?"

"Yes si- I mean R,"

"See where it says 'Dishes-R'?" Grantaire asked, Alex nodded again, "I want you to think 'Dishes-"

"Alex?" Alex replied.

Grantaire smiled, "Exactly, think of it as a sort of 'Wax On Wax Off' deal," Grantaire replied.

Alex sighed and walked over to the living room, he was about to sit down on one of the couches when he noticed something odd. There was a person dressed very shabby wandering around, unsure of what to do he pulled his handgun from its holster and pointed it at the person, slowly they raised their hands. Their eyes met and when they did Alex briefly became distracted when he realized the figure was a woman, this provided her with enough of an advantage to pull his gun from his grasp and pointed it at him. She then pulled the knit cap off of her head and handed him the gun, "No guns downstairs." She then walked up the stairs and disappeared, Alex was stunned, and behind him he could hear laughing.

"Man she got you good!" Tony laughed.

"What the-" Alex began, "who the hell was that?"

"That my friend is 'Ponine," Tony smiled.

Alex continued to gape, "Come on man, I know she's pretty but no need to go gaga over her, she won't appreciate it." Tony slapped him on the shoulder.

"Pretty?" Alex muttered, although he wasn't one to necessarily think about women or their beauty she didn't match a common definition of "pretty", in fact she looked frightening. Her hair was a curly mess that resembled a rat's nest, her brown eyes looked dark and sunken, and her complexion pale and unappealing, in fact she looked like someone who had been on drugs for a long time. Alex finally sat down on the couch and through the windows he saw the setting sun beginning to turn the ocean a brilliant shade of red. He heard soft thumping on the stairs and saw a young woman descending them. Her hair was wet as if she had just stepped from the shower, it hung in glossy curls down her back, her skin was tan with a healthy glow.

"Hey, new kid," She called to him.

"Have we met?" Alex asked.

The girl snorted with laughter, "You could say that."

Alex raised an eyebrow, "Éponine?" He spoke with a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Very good," Éponine clapped her hands together mockingly, "Special Agent Alex Enjolras, fresh out of Quantico."

Alex nodded, "Yes ma'am."

"Ma'am?" Éponine wrinkled her nose, "don't call me that, it makes me feel old," She then sat herself next to him on the couch.

"Sorry," Alex replied, it was strange how informal everything was, he could scarcely believe it. "So earlier..." he added.

"Did I scare you?" Éponine asked, "well I must have since you pulled your Glock on me."

"I thought you had broken in or something," Alex admitted with a shrug.

"You will soon find that I am a master disguise, and the whole 'no guns downstairs' since you're new I'll let you off the hook this time," Éponine held up a finger, "but just this once."

"Any other rules I should know about?" Alex asked.

Éponine turned to him, "umm... Oh right, no guests upstairs, they all stay right here..." She slapped the couch. "Really just use common sense times two, if it seems stupid, it probably is."

"Okay..." Alex replied warily.

Chris walked out into the living room, "So I'm supposed to announce its dinner."

"Oh goody, I wonder what crap R has whipped up for us," Éponine complained loudly.

"Shut it Thenardier!" Grantaire shouted, "You know my cooking is fabulous, you just never admit to it!"

Éponine laughed, "Whatever you say R," she smiled and walked towards the kitchen, but Alex stayed on the couch, "ain't you gonna come to dinner?" she asked him.

"Huh?" Alex replied, "oh yeah," together the two of them walked to the kitchen.

"Well I'm skipping out," Tony bobbed his head and started walking towards the front door, "I have a date."

"With who?" Grantaire asked, "Giselle?"

"No maybe it was Andrea, or Marie, or who was it last week? Sylvia?" Chris grinned.

"Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong again," Tony stopped, "it's Tanya."

"The chick who thinks you're a pilot?" Grantaire groaned.

"The one and the same," Tony smiled.

"She thinks you're a pilot?" Alex asked.

"Well I can't just go up to her and say 'hi I'm Tony Courfeyrac, and I work for the FBI!' That doesn't go over so well," Tony answered, "anyway, I gotta go, see you fools later."

They all gathered around the table as Grantaire passed them all plates, "Hey Alex want something to drink?"

"No thanks, just water," Alex answered.

"What about the rest of you?" Grantaire turned to the group, they all began shouting out what they wanted and miraculously enough Grantaire heard them and after going to the fridge passed out the respective drinks.

Éponine used the edge of the table to skillfully pop the top off of the beer she was drinking.

"Impressive," Alex noted.

"Well had to get through college somehow," she sighed as she took a swig of beer.

"Bartender?" Alex asked.

"And she's damn good at it," Grantaire called out, "ask her to mix you a drink someday!"

"Oh I don't really drink," Alex replied.

"What?" Éponine glanced at him after she swallowed her beer, "you don't drink?"

"No," Alex shook his head.

"Wow," Éponine snorted, "that's crazy.

Later they all moved to the living room and Alex realized that perhaps he could let his guard down with everyone, except for Cosette. She had barely spoken to him or anyone else and occasionally he would see her glaring at him. But, nevertheless as upset as he was initially with his assignment to Graceland he realized maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought.

It wasn't until he was walking up the stairs towards his room that he began to feel the jetlag and realized how tired he actually was. He barely got his clothes off before collapsing into bed.


	2. Chapter 2

"Yo Alex get up," Grantaire called as he threw a wet suit at Alex's sleeping form.

"What's this?" Alex grumbled as he looked at the suit.

"Get dressed, we're going surfing," Grantaire responded.

"Surfing?" Alex groaned.

"Yeah, get your ass out of bed and let's go," Grantaire replied and shut the door.

Alex sighed and started pulling on the wetsuit, he managed to cover the bottom half of his body but now was struggling, as he continued to pull he fell to the floor with a loud thud.

"Graceful," Éponine smiled as she peered through the door.

Alex's face went red with embarrassment considering she saw him in such a state. Quickly he got off the floor and dusted himself off and managed to get the suit on the rest of the way and he finished zipping it up.

"You ever surfed before?" Éponine asked.

"No," Alex replied.

"Don't worry," Éponine smiled, "R and Tony will take good care of you."

"Hey, uhh-"

"You can call me 'Ponine," Éponine smiled.

"'Ponine," Alex nodded, "you don't happen to have a spare key, do you?"

"I don't, but Marius does," Éponine swiped a key from the top of the bookshelf, "don't tell Cosette," she winked as she tossed the key in his direction, "have fun on the beach, don't die."

"Alex let's go!" Grantaire shouted.

"I think you are being summoned," Éponine smiled, "you'd better go."

Alex sighed once again as he trudged himself downstairs, when there he saw both Grantaire and Tony wearing wetsuits, then Grantaire passed him a set of flip flops. "Tony said you were lacking," Grantaire nodded.

Alex took the flip flops and put them on his bare feet.

"Let's go out the back door, it's quicker," Tony decided.

Alex soon realized the back door led him right down to the beach, they walked to a board shop to rent one for him and soon were standing ankle deep in the water, boards under their arms.

Alex yawned, "So why are we surfing?"

"When in Rome," Grantaire smiled.

"Except we are in California which is so much better," Tony laughed.

"Alex, you will learn that once you catch that wave just right it's better than- it's better than sex," Grantaire decided.

"Better than sex?" Alex asked warily.

"Yeah," Grantaire nodded, "but I guess you wouldn't know that would you?"

"What?!" Alex exclaimed, his face flushing red.

"Your face says it all brother," Grantaire smiled knowingly.

"Wait R, are you saying Alex here is a virgin?" Tony laughed.

"Why don't you ask him yourself," Grantaire smirked as Alex turned scarlet.

"Alex, bro, are you really?" Tony' s voice was tinged with disbelief.

"Yes, I'm a virgin," Alex replied through gritted teeth.

"Okay so I have officially added 'get Alex laid' on my list of things to do," Tony grinned.

Alex exhaled, "instead of talking about my sex life-"

"Or lack of one," Tony mumbled.

"Can we surf?" Alex finished.

"I thought you would never ask," Grantaire smiled before dashing into the ocean, "Now listen carefully, stay away from the south side, you could get slammed by the pier."

"Don't get slammed by the pier," Alex nodded, "anything else."

"Just ride those waves," Tony smiled.

Slowly he walked out into the ocean and tried to copy what they were doing, yet so far it kept ending with the same results, he fell off the board again and again. He was clinging to his board; his wet hair had fallen into his face as he gasped for air.

"That was some wipe out," Tony smiled as he went past waiting for the next wave, "how you feeling Alex?"

"I'm fine," Alex panted.

"You know what, why don't you call it for the day?" Tony suggested.

Alex was never one to give up easily on anything, "I'll be fine."

"You sure man?" Tony asked.

"J-just one last try," Alex decided, together he and Tony paddled out to where Grantaire was it was another couple of minutes before a good strong wave came. Alex was bound and determined to make it this time, he put all his focus on his balance and the board and soon he was standing and he could feel the water rushing under his board he had never felt anything like it. But with that brief moment of excitement his concentration broke and he found himself tumbling into the water with the salt stinging his eyes. He gripped the surf board so tight his knuckles were white.

"Alex that was so cool!" Tony called, "at least for a first timer, I think you've got potential!"

"Potential... Whatever," Alex panted, on the shore he could see someone waving at them. "Who is that?" Alex asked.

"Dunno," R shrugged, "but I guess if you want to find out you could swim out there.

"You're not going to-"

"Nope, I've get waves to ride," Grantaire paddled of, "Yo Tony let's go!"

Alex swam towards the shore and he realized it was Éponine who had been waving, she was wearing a yellow sundress over a swim suit, Alex disconnected himself from the board and went up to her.

"You having a good time?" Éponine asked.

"Well..." Alex huffed.

Éponine smiled, "Don't worry I'm sure you'll get the hang of it soon enough."

Alex looked out at Grantaire and Tony,"Just look at him, you know at Quantico they talk about him as if he is some sort of God."

"So you were expecting someone a little more button down, suit and tie-ish?" Éponine glanced at him.

"Well, yeah," Alex nodded.

"He was like that once," Éponine replied, "but he went off on some personal business and came back all zenned out like this," she sighed lightly. Their conversation came to a pause before Éponine spoke again, "The house is a tight fit, you'll find there are no secrets at Graceland."

"Except for R?"

"Except for R," Éponine nodded with a smile.  
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Alex, Tony and Grantaire returned to the house and were having a discussion about surfing.

"You're doing well man," Tony slapped him on the back.

"It was incredible I could feel the wave right through my board!" Alex smiled, it really was amazing.

"R! You've got a message from a Frankie Trujillo," Cosette called to him.

"What, you're checking my messages now?" Grantaire turned to her.

"He wants to make a deal," Cosette folded her arms across her chest.

"He's on our non-active list," Grantaire replied as he walked past her.

"But he works for Vzakonye," Cosette stepped in front of him.

"He probably does their gardening girly," Grantaire replied with a laugh.

"He works for Vzakonye," Cosette repeated.

"Jesus, I heard you the first time," Grantaire shook his head and ran a hand through his curly locks, "he was a low level dealer and when we tapped him he dropped some names, so lay off it."

"Come on R, they shot Marius," Cosette replied her voice tinged with frustration.

"But Frankie didn't," Grantaire replied matter of factly, "seriously, what good do you think this is going to do?"

Cosette gave him a look with her brilliant blue eyes that was almost pleading.

"Dammit, you are lucky you have those eyes," Grantaire walked over to where Alex and Tony were sitting in the kitchen. "Hey Alex how would you like to do a reverse today?" He asked.

"A what?" Alex looked at him in confusion.

"He wants to buy eight yards of indoor," Cosette informed him with a slight smile.

"Indoor, what's that?" Alex asked as he looked from Cosette to Grantaire.

"That's what Frankie likes to call cocaine," Grantaire explained as Alex nodded.

"Called in ops man?" Tony asked.

"No, no, no," Grantaire smirked, "Tony you know it's better to beg for forgiveness than asked permission."

"Man, 'Ferre is going to kill you," Tony laughed.

"Who's 'Ferre?" Alex asked.

"Our supervising agent," Tony replied, "supposed to keep us in line."

"You two coming or not?" Grantaire asked as he stood on the stairs with Cosette, "phone room, now."

When they settled themselves in the phone room Grantaire dialed Frankie' s number and waited for him to answer.

"Yo?" Frankie answered as he picked up the phone.

"Hey, Frankie it's Ben," Grantaire replied, "I got your message, what's up?"

"Hey Benny boy, what's up?" Frankie laughed.

Grantaire continued his conversation briefly in Spanish.

"Wait, I thought he was Russian," Alex whispered to Tony who has reading a file.

"Nope, he's Mexican, he just works for them, but his wife is," Tony replied without looking up.

"Can you hook me up with eight yards of indoor?" Frankie asked, "twenty a yard."

Grantaire paused for dramatic effect, "No can do man," he finally replied, "it's getting tough to do this kinda work."

Cosette swatted him on the shoulder, "What the hell?" She hissed.

"You said you could hook me up whenever I needed, I got people counting on me," Frankie replied his tone slightly hushed.

Grantaire glanced at Cosette, she was still glaring at him, "Man... Yeah I got someone to bring it by."

"Your amigo is mi amigo," Frankie replied his tone much happier.

"He'll be over in a few hours," Grantaire replied.

"See you then," Frankie replied and hung up the phone.

"You ready for your first gig Alex?" Grantaire asked.

"Yes sir," Alex replied.

Grantaire gave him a look.

"I meant to say R," Alex replied looking to the ground.

"Well, let's just say, surfs up," Grantaire walked out of the phone room  
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The three of them were pile into the Jeep, Grantaire had shotgun and Alex was sitting in the back listening to him and Tony talk.

"Where we setting up?" Grantaire asked Tony.

"Vacant building a block from Frankie," Tony replied.

"Cool, should be good," Grantaire replied, "Agent Enjolras, this will be a simple reverse, you are going to walk in, get him and give us the bust signal, got it?"

Alex had pulled out a notepad and was scribbling down what Grantaire was saying, "What's my name?"

"Umm... how about Alex, or would you prefer Alexandre?" Grantaire replied.

Alex rolled his eyes, "Do I have a last name?"

"Don't give him a last name," Grantaire replied, "too much info."

"No last name," Alex muttered as he wrote, Grantaire turned around in his seat grabbed the notepad and threw it from the car.

"Wait, why did you do that?" Alex asked in shock.

"Because you can't use a cheat sheet in there," Grantaire huffed, "just keep it simple, bad guys Don't tend to ask a lot of questions you see, because they don't want you to ask a lot of questions. Are we clear?"

"Okay, but if he asks, how do you and I know each other?" Alex asked.

"If he asks, you just say around," Grantaire shrugged.

Tony began to laugh, "Oh, why not put him in the movie?"

"No man!" Grantaire glared at Tony, "that contradicts everything I just said."

"Uhhh... What movie?" Alex asked as he leaned forward slightly.

"Nothing, it's not important," Grantaire replied with a flick of his hand.

Tony just sighed and shook his head.

"Alright," Grantaire rolled his eyes, "we had some real hardcore guys, the type that'll shoot you just make sure the gun works," Grantaire began his tale. "Well, in the middle of this sting I get some stupid award and my face was plastered all over the news."

"Not good," Alex shook his head.

"Yeah, not good," Grantaire chuckled, "and I go in one day to meet some top members of the family, and one says that he recognizes me, I try to cover but it doesn't work," he sighed. "They've seen before but don't know where, so when they remember they saw me on TV I tell them I'm an actor."

"What?" Alex snorted, "they believed that?"

"Hell no!" Tony shouted laughing.

"No, so we now have gun barrels pointed under our chins," Grantaire shook his head, "So I start talking out of my ass."

"Yeah, cops undercover as hookers!" Tony laughed.

"Hookers?" Alex spoke in disbelief.

"Yeah and the woman I marry, her sister turns out to be a real hooker," Grantaire sighed, "it's a cruel world, anyway I said 'our pimp calls her low rider cause when you pull the strings on her panties and well, it's like hydraulics, ya know?'" he could see Alex's face turning red, "I told them it's called Sunset Bust."

"Then R did the craziest thing!" Tony interrupted, "cause they aren't buying any of it!"

"I knew that if we were searched we were screwed so I took out my badge and showed it to them."

Alex looked at him in shock, "your badge?"

"I told them it was a prop from the movie, they looked over, decide it was and handed I back to me, simple as that," Grantaire lowered his shades over his eyes.

"To this day one of them has an autographed picture of R in his cell," Tony grinned.

"They went through with the buy?" Alex asked.

"Yep," Grantaire replied calmly, "and we nailed them all."

"I've got to be in this movie," Alex decided.

"You sure you're ready for that buddy boy?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, I am" Alex nodded.

"Okay, if Frankie asks you're my brother-in-law," Grantaire decided, "but ain't gonna matter cause he ain't gonna ask."

Whoa, wait I'm married to a prostitute?" Alex was trying to keep everything straight."

"Yeah buddy, you're married to Low Rider!" Tony laughed.

Alex leaned back in his seat now regretting just what he'd gotten himself into.

They got to the vacant house where they set Alex up for wireless transmission for inside the house.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you," Alex spoke clearly.

"You're not trying to hit the stalls in a theater," Grantaire sighed, "try that again."

"It's a pleasure doing business with you," Alex spoke in a softer tone.

"Good," Grantiare patted him on the shoulder.

"You've got some explaining to do," A man with light brown hair and glasses approached him.

"Lucy, I'm home," Grantaire gave him a hug.

When the broke apart the other man readjusted his glasses, "This morning I got a call from FBI Ops telling me that they did not know we are running a reverse on a Vzakonye dealer, I didn't know we had one," The man began."

"We don't, we pulled him off the list a month ago," Grantaire explained.

"So then why are we doing this?" The man asked.

"Well 'Ferre, that would be Cosette' s idea," Grantaire sighed.

"That's Combeferre?" Alex asked Tony.

"Yep," Tony replied.

Combeferre sighed and shook his head, "Sometimes why do I even bother," he then walked over to Alex. "Agent Enjolras, I'm Lucien Combeferre."

"Affecionately known as Lucy," Grantaire smiled.

"I'm your supervising agent," Combeferre finished they shook hands.

"It's a pleasure sir," Alex replied.

"I like this one, he's polite," Combeferre gave a look to Grantaire.

"Only because we haven't had time to corrupt him Lucy," Grantaire smirked.

Combeferre sighed again, "You cause me to lose more and more of my sanity each day." He turned back to Alex, "Almost noon has Grantaire taught you everything he knows yet?"

"Yes sir, wax on, wax off," Alex replied.

"Uh huh... I assume that's some kind of in joke between you two," Combeferre replied, "I don't like in jokes."

"Understood sir," Alex nodded.

"Franklin Trujillo, has a family, wife and kids, won't likely rip you," Combeferre began to read the file, "this should be easy."

"Yeah it should," Grantaire came up to Alex, "now don't forget we are arresting you too, make it look good especially if any of his buddies are around."

"Are you nervous?" Combeferre asked.

"Yes sir," Alex replied honestly.

"That's good, now let's do this right," Combeferre added.

Alex went out, took the car that was left for him and drove up to Frankie' s house, when he knocked on the door it was opened by a I'd of about age ten. "Hey buddy, is Frankie here?"

"Dad!" The kid called into the house.

He was soon greeted by a middle age man who was smiling cheerfully, "You Benny' s friend?"

"Yeah," Alex nodded.

"Well come on in, would you like some lemonade?" Frankie asked.

"Oh no thank you," Alex smiled.

"Irina get us some lemonade!" Frankie called ignoring what Alex had said.

"So how do you know Benny?" Frankie asked.

"Oh around," Alex shrugged his shoulders.

"Around?" Frankie repeated as they came into the kitchen where Irina was making lemonade.

"Yeah, I'm his brother-in-law-law," Alex began, "my wife... She's a hooker."

Frankie and Irina stared at him in shock and a horror.

Alex became flustered, "In the movie."

"Oh! You were in picture with Ben!" Irina nodded, "you also play cop?"

"Hands up," Alex flashed them a smile.

"I like this guy, he's funny," Frankie declared, "Irina I'm going to take him outside for a bit."

Alex followed Frankie outside, "Man, you know how things get piled up? This guy doesn't show up so you can't pay that guy and gets to be a big mess?"

"You're short?" Alex added.

"I wish I was short but I 'm out, my other guy he didn't show," Frankie explained.

"So what was the other guy buying?" Alex asked trying to do what he could to save the reverse.

"Some merchandise for the indoor?" Frankie asked.

"Sure, show me what you've got," Alex nodded.

"It's good stuff, it's in the alley, let's check it out," Frankie nodded as he walked to the gate towards the alley.

In the house where they were monitoring Alex they realized they had a problem.

"You told him not to change locations right?" Combeferre turned to Grantaire.

Alex's voice came through on the feed, "Sure let's go."

"No?" Grantaire turned to Combeferre, he pulled out his walkie talkie to get a report only to have it come up negative, "I can get someone in there on foot, Tony you're fast right?"

Tony groaned and got up ready to sprint towards they alley.

Alex had followed Frankie to a truck in the alley which was filled with boxes, he opened one and pulled something out, "15,000 pairs of Levi' s finest," handed a pair to Alex.

"You want to trade straight across for this?" Alex asked incredulously.

"Yeah you can good money for these on the street," Frankie declared.

"And your wife wants this trailer out of here, right?" Alex looked at him.

"I tell you what," Frankie decided, "make this disappear and you've got a deal."

"I'll see what I can do, it's been a pleasure doing business with you," Alex replied as they shook hands.

"Hey, Federal Bureau, Federal Bureau!" Someone was shouting.

Alex looked to see Tony running down the street and could hear police sirens blaring behind him.

Alex and Frankie sighed as the car came up on them, Tony grabbed Alex and put him in the cruiser, "Come on man, you're coming with me."

When they got to the station Alex had put on his FBI jacket and two cops bringing in Frankie walked him into Alex.

"Alex? That's messed up," Frankie shook his head.

"What are you idiots doing? Don't walk him through here!" Grantaire shouted.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alex was back at Graceland, sitting on a couch just running everything that had happened today through his head.

"Hey Levi," Éponine came up to him a glass in her hand.

"Levi?" Alex looked at her in confusion.

"You need a nickname," Éponine decided.

"I don't know how I feel about Levi," Alex admitted.

Éponine smiled, "You don't get to choose, unless you are like Tony here."

"Tony is a nickname?" Alex asked as Tony and Grantaire came into the room.

"Yep, it's my name in the movie, my really name is Antoine de Courfeyrac," Tony admitted.

"Very posh," Éponine smirked.

"You put everyone in the movie don't you?" Alex turned to Grantaire.

Grantaire shrugged, "He begged."

"Did not!" Tony interrupted.

"Anyway, Tony was undercover with this biker gang and figure I'd R could do it why couldn't he?" Éponine took a sip from her glass. "He was making it out that he was this tough guy killer when R steps in and says 'the guy he shot was sitting on the john!" Éponine laughed.

"He told them I killed the guy when I caught him reading my dirty mags on the toilet," Tony cut in.

"Two shots, arm and chest," Grantaire added.

"You couldn't make me a good shot could you?" Tony sighed.

"Nope," Grantaire took a sip from the beer he was holding.

"I like it," Alex smiled.

"Let's drink to it then," Grantaire decided he went and grabbed Alex a beer who accepted it reluctantly.

"To Tony," Alex held up his bottle.

"What are you talking about?" Tony turned to him, "how about to Levi?"

They all choruses in a toast for his new name as he had his first sip of beer, it made him cringe at first but it did ease his nerves ever so slightly.

Just then Chris walked through the door, "Hey what's the party?"

"Levi had his first bust," Éponine called out to him.

"Levi?" He nodded, "I like it, buy you a beer?"

Alex held up his bottle, "I'm good."

"So tell me a story," Chris decided.

"Story?" Alex asked.

"You got yourself a new nickname, what's the story that goes with it?" Chris asked.

"Reverse gone wrong, I ended up with a truckload of jeans," Alex sighed.

"Jeans? Good story," Chris smiled, "solid, I like it."

Combeferre walked into the room and turned off the music they had been playing, "I'm gonna start with the good news, those jeans were lifted off the port and are not my problem," he handed a set of keys to Chris who sighed, "congrats, they are all yours."

"So what's the bad news?" Grantaire asked.

"You made bail," Combeferre turned to Alex whose blue eyes widened.

They were back at the station and Grantaire was talking with Combeferre, "We know for a fact that they have Frankie' s family."

"Yes, and he panicked when he was asked about Mike and said he was his brother-in-law," Combeferre explained, "but we got lucky, Frankie has a brother-in-law with a passing resemblance to Alex." He handed the file he was holding to Grantaire who began reading.

"His name is Jimmy Tompkins," Grantaire read, "has as scar over his left eye."

"We need to do something about your height," Combeferre noted, "and if it comes up you lost a lot of weight."

Grantaire then took Alex to a secluded office, "So what exactly is going to happen here?" He asked.

"Well Alex, kidnapping a family can be messy, and the reason you made bail is because they want to make sure that Frankie won't talk," Grantaire explained. "Get you to do something illegal, that way if Frankie talk they will turn you in."

"Illegal?"

"Yep," Grantaire rubbed the back of his neck, "they've done this before, they are going to ask you to kill someone."

"Kill someone?" Alex gulped, "but-"

"All you need to do is get a name and come back to us," Grantaire explained, "we have someone the paper who will make up a fake obit, if they think he's dead they'll let the family go," Grantaire seemed to sense the nervousness that was radiating off of Alex, "you don't have to do this."

Alex sighed, "But if I don't what's going to happen to them."

Grantaire sighed as well, he then got up from his chair and walked out gesturing for Alex to follow him, "This means you have exactly an hour to become this guy, who are you?"

"I'm Jimmy Tompkins," Alex replied.

"Good, your wife's name is Katarina and her sister is Frankie' s wife, Irina," Grantaire began to rattle off, "you ever been to Chicago?"

"Once," Alex replied trying to match Grantaire' s pace.

"Now you are from there, think about their monuments, Wrigley field, Sears tower, the Cubs," Grantaire continued to ramble, "you were arrested in 2004."

"Alright," Alex flipped throughout the file and started taking down information.

"Who is your wife?" Grantaire asked.

"Katarina," Alex replied.

"What's your name?"

"Jam- no Joh- no Jimmy Tompkins!" Alex concluded, "I know this!"

"You need to have this man, and have it good," Grantaire put his hands on his shoulders, "we can't afford for something to go wrong." He led Alex to a chair, Éponine was there with a large case which she opened to reveal a wide array of makeup.

"Wait 'Ponine," Grantaire held up a hand, "earlier this year he was arrested for suspected narcotics possession and the arresting officer noted track marks on his arms, he's a junkie? 'Ponine, girl you better do a good job."

"When do I not?" Éponine spoke with an offended tone and sat down in front of Alex and began to apply makeup to his wrist, "when is the last time he could have gotten high?" She asked Grantaire.

"Probably about 11:30," Grantaire replied.

Éponine then turned back to Alex and his wrist, "This is where you shoot up, your watch covers it, see? You are in withdrawal so you will be shaky, are you okay?"

Alex nodded as she continued with applying a "Y" shaped scar to his left eyebrow, "I like it," she smiled, "it makes you look tough."

"Enough chit-chat girl, we are short on time," Grantaire called to them.

"I'm going, I'm going! Cool thy jets R!" Éponine rolled her eyes, "men..." She muttered as she continued to work.

"I got boots with lifts to give him some more height, and a wallet for a Jimmy Tompkins," Tony came in and tossed the wallet at Éponine while Alex put on the boots.

"Tony, it's too new," Éponine examined it and passed to Grantaire.

Grantaire looked at the ID, "Yeah, go throw it out in the sand or something," he tossed it back at Tony who sighed and went outside.

"Jimmy, here is your transmitter," Grantaire passed him a watch, "you won't hear us but we can hear you, and this is important," he turned the watch on its side and showed him a button. "This is crucial, it will cut the transmission when they sweep you and when you press it again it will come back on, okay?"

"Got it," Alex nodded, a wave of fear then washed over him, "you will track me, right?"

"I'm afraid that we can't," Combeferre adjusted his glasses, "signal is too hard to cover."

"Just give us as much info about your location as you possibly can," Grantaire patted him on the shoulder.

"Because that makes me feel so much better," Alex muttered, he couldn't clearly think of any one time in his life that he had been more afraid than he was now.

"Alex, look at me," Éponine tried to get his attention, "just pretend that Frankie came to you tonight and said that they took my kids, they took my wife, can you please help me? Okay?"

Alex took in the calm look on Éponine's face and he began to relax a little bit.

Tony came back it with the wallet which he handed back to Grantaire.

"Seriously?" Grantaire held up the wallet as some sand poured out of it onto the floor, "the guy carries it in his pocket, not behind his car."

"It was dark out there man," Tony shrugged.

Grantaire sighed and handed the wallet to Alex as more sand dribbled onto the agent's lap.

"What's your name?" Éponine asked one last time.

"Jimmy Tompkins," Alex replied confidently.

"Good," Éponine smiled and ruffled his hair slightly.

"Let's do this," Alex nodded.

"Way to go Alex!" Tony cheered as Alex got up to go down to the holding cells.

"Jimmy Tompkins, married to the beautiful and sexy Katarina!" Grantaire called as Tony wolf whistled.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Alex was brought out by an officer where he collected his "possessions" and was taken to meet with the lawyer. He took his time and playing up his character as much as he could. His hands shook, he looked tired, and he was sniffling, he took his watch and put it on a nd it seemed the lawyer was noting the "track marks" on his arm. As he was about to put the wallet into his pocket more sand fell out and in his brain he was mentally cursing at Tony. Instead he decided to play off it, "Do you surf? No? Well, you should try it," Alex sniffled again.

He was taken outside to a car where he was swept for any signals, he hit the button to cut the transmission and when they finished he hit the button again.

"You are Russian?" One of the men asked.

"No, but my wife is, "Alex smiled, "the only I understand in Russian is 'not tonight'" He then got into the car and they drove off with Alex watching for any sort landmark to help pinpoint his destination. They first came to an authorship, "Is Pelov the owner?"

He was taken to a back room where a large man who spoke with a thick accent was sitting at a desk, "Jimmy Tompkins," the man noted, "how is Frankie?"

"He's worried about his family," Alex replied.

"You are family too?" The man added.

"Yes," Alex nodded.

"Would you like anything to drink?" the man asked as Alex sat on the couch.

"No," Alex replied.

"Have you lost weight recently?" The man who Alex assumed was Pelov asked.

"Juice cleanse," Alex gave a slight shrug.

"What, shooting up on smack?" Pelov said with a laugh.

Alex pursed his lips, "can we just get on with it?"

"You're right, and we can make a deal to send his family home," Pelov nodded.

"What do you need me to do?" Alex asked, "I'll do whatever you want, I swear," he got up and knocked over some of the trinkets Pelov had on his desk.

Pelov' s face became angry, "Get him out of here! We don't need a goddamn junkie to do the job!"

Two men reached for Alex and he stepped from their grasp, "I'll do whatever you ask! What do you want me to do kill someone? I'll do it!"

The room became silent, "You? Kill someone? I bet with your hands you couldn't even hold a gun," Pelov glared at him.

"I can do it, I've done it before," Alex replied his blue eyes glowing fiercely.

"Really?" Pelov leaned back in his chair, "then tell me about it, and think carefully, I have friends in law enforcement who can check everything you say."

Alex sat back down and thought about what he was going to say next, and then it hit him and he smiled to himself. "It was about two years ago, and there was this guy, I caught him reading my dirty mags on the john."

"I suppose that's a reason to kill a guy," One of the other men spoke with a shrug, "I know I would."

"I know, right?" Alex turned to the other man.

"Silence!" Pelov shouted and the room fell silent, he turned to Alex, "continue."

"So I come in there, and fire two shots, to the chest, BAM, BAM!" Alex finished.

Alex noted that the lawyer was on the phone repeating everything Alex had said, a knot formed in his stomach and hoped that Grantaire had been able to do something.

When the lawyer hung up he nodded at Pelov who once again turned back to Alex, "So everything you have told us is true..."

"So who do you want me to kill?" Alex asked.

Pelov grinned, "Let's just have some fun, we'll make it a surprise," he turned to his men, "take him to the car."

Alex started getting nervous as they took him back to the car, it wasn't supposed to happen this way. Still he followed them, got into the car and they started driving, Alex noting the streets and the direction they were going and hoping he wasn't being suspicious. They finally entered a quiet neighborhood and pulled up to the house and came to a stop.

"Kill the man in the back bedroom," one of the men directed and he handed Alex a key, "here is the key, make sure he is dead."

"How did you get this?" Alex asked as he took the key from him.

"It doesn't matter," The man smiled and then handed Alex a pistol.

Alex took the gun and got out of the car and walked up to the house, "5052 Gorbeau street," he spoke once he was out of earshot of the men in the car. Then his hands started to shake with nervousness as he fumbled with the lock, once he got it open he walked into the house as silently as he could. He made his way towards the back bedroom and saw the door was slightly open, he stepped in with his gun poised.

"Uhh... excuse me," Alex spoke to the man in the bed.

"Who are you?" The man asked , he had red brown hair and freckles across his face.

"I'm not here to hurt you," Alex replied.

"Yeah? So then put your gun down," The man replied, the phone in the house started to ring but the man wouldn't pick it up. "Put your gun down," the man repeated.

"I-I wish I could," Alex answered as the phone continued to ring.

The man reached for his own gun and fired a shot, but missed Alex and hit a lamp that was nearby him, the man got out of bed. "Put it down," the man ordered loudly.

"I can't!" Alex replied just as fiercely, they both had their guns pointed at each other now.

"Who are you?" The man asked.

Alex could now he the man had an injured shoulder which was bandaged, "I'm Alex Enjolras, I'm with the FBI."

"ID?" The man asked.

"Don't have any," Alex replied breathlessly.

"That's unfortunate for you then man," the man replied.

Alex's brain was whirring with what he could do, he licked his fingers on one hand, "These track marks are fake," he rubbed at them, until they began to vanish, "I'm undercover."

"Who sent you?" The man asked, he did not lower his gun.

" Vzakonye, and they are outside right now, they sent me to kill you," Alex began to explain.

"Well they aren't going to finish me," The man replied.

It all suddenly clicked into place in Alex's mind, "Are-are you Marius Pontmercy?" He asked.

"You are an awful hit man," Marius replied.

Alex slowly reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the spare key that Éponine had given him and showed it to Marius.

When Marius saw the key he knitted his eyebrows together, "How did you get that?" He asked.

"I'm your new roommate," Alex replied.

"You're at Graceland?" Marius asked, "what else did you take?"

"Nothing," Alex shook his head, "Cosette, she told me not to unpack." Marius smiled slightly but Alex did not notice, "Please believe me, it's my first day," he sighed.

"You're going to do exactly what I do, do you understand?" Marius directed.

Alex nodded as he watched Marius slowly lower his gun, he began to do the same thing and slowly both guns were lowered onto Marius' bed. "You've got a transmitter?" Marius asked.

"Yeah," Alex nodded to the watch.

"Hey, it's Marius," Marius called to the transmitter, "I almost shot your new roommate Alex."

"Yeah," Alex called out, then it dawned on him, "y-you almost s-shot me..." He then looked up at Marius, "I have to finish this."

Marius let him pick up his gun and Alex fired all 6 rounds into hardwood flooring of the house. "Gotta go," Alex turned around and walked out of the house back towards the car angrily, when he approached the window he glared at the men inside, "You didn't say he was DEA! He shot at me!"

"Is he dead?" One of the men asked.

"Yeah he is," Alex replied.

"Give me the gun," One held out a cloth where Alex put the gun.

"Get in the car," The driver ordered.

"Why?" Alex turned to him

"Get in the the car," he ordered again.

Alex took a step back, "Why do you want me to get in the car?"

"This is last warning get in the car!" He ordered again.

"Or what?" Alex asked defiantly.

Just then three shots were fired, Alex ducked down as the car horn started blaring when he looked up the driver was dead but the man in the back was still alive, he could hear Grantiare' s voice.

"Call for an ambulance," Grantaire spoke out knowing that they could hear him through Alex's transmitter. "My guess is that they wanted you to do in Marius and then they would kill you as well, make it look like suicide, then if Frankie did talk they would make sure they found your gun."

"What are you crazy?" The man sitting in the back seat called to Grantaire.

"Show me your hands," Grantaire ordered.

"What?" The man looked at Grantaire and laughed.

"Show me your hands, now," Grantaire practically growled at him

"Just do what he says," Alex spoke to the man.

The back and forth of them ordering the man to put his hands up ended when Grantaire fired two shots killing the man .

Alex forced opened the car door and the gun fell out of the man's dead hand and onto the pavement.

"How did you?" Alex panted, he then cut transmission on the watch transmitter, "you saw the gun?"

"I see it right there," Grantaire nodded at the gun in the ground as he came around from the other side.

Alex put the transmission back on, "Shots fired, two men down, where is the ambulance?" He spoke into the transmitter, "Agent Grantaire saved my life."  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning they were all sitting in the living room watching the news on what had happened the night before.

"Don't let it go you your head Alex," Éponine smiled at him.

"We did good," Grantaire leaned back in the chair he was sitting in.

Later that day they met with someone from the LA bureau office to check their stories.

"The driver made a move to his weapon and that is when you fired?" The serious looking woman asked.

"Yes," Alex and Grantaire replied simultaneously.

"And you both ordered the man in back to raise his hands, but he drew his weapon?" She then proceeded to ask.

"Correct again," Grantaire replied, Combeferre stood behind them and paced.

"Agent Enjolras?" The woman asked.

"Yes Ma'am," Alex replied politely.

"Sounds like a clean shoot, we are done here," The woman finished the notes on her clipboard, "Good work."

That night Grantaire treated Alex, Éponine and Tony to drinks on the beach coupled with a bonfire. "It was a good day, Alex you did well."

Tony and Éponine began to chase each other on the beach down by the shore while Grantaire Sat with Alex. "You are officially an undercover agent," Grantaire turned to him, "from now on you must realize how important it is for you to lie, it becomes a spider web that traps you, but it becomes your life as well. You will lie to everyone, your parents, family, girlfriends, best friends from back home, they cannot know what you are doing her."

"How does it keep you from going crazy?" Alex asked as he took a sip of beer.

"Who says I haven't?" Grantaire asked.

"No one sir," Alex replied, he watched Éponine shriek with laughter as Tony tackled her to the ground.

"Do you like her?" Grantaire asked nodding towards Éponine.

"Do you like Éponine? Agent Thenardier," Grantaire replied.

Before Alex replied his phone began to ring, "Excuse me," he then pulled his phone out and walked away from the fire.

"Agent Enjolras?"

It was Javert calling him, but why? "Agent Javert? Well you were right, I could never have predicted this in a million years."

"I'm pleased to know at least one person listened to my speech," Javert replied, "so I heard Agent Grantaire save your life."

"Yes he did sir," Alex replied.

"I called you to speak about your assignment," Javert spoke.

"Assignment?" Alex asked with confusion.

"Yes, you are to be investigating Agent Grantaire," Javert explained.

"Sir?" Alex asked.

"Will what he did have any effect on you?" Javert asked.

Alex paused, "No sir," he spoke resolutely.

* * *

A/N: Yes This is very similar to the pilot episode, but from approx "Guadalajara Dog" and on there are going to be some major plot shifts! Keep your eyes peeled for the fun at Graceland! Anything varying from Eponine's mysterious past, 'Chetta's crush on a young Medical Examiner's assistant, and a lot more!


	3. Chapter 3

"So have you thought about the new Alex?" Grantaire asked as they walked along the boardwalk.

"New Alex?" Alex turned to the older agent.

"Well let's see," Grantaire looked deep in thought, "people think I'm a hippie Tae-Bo instructor, Tony convinced everyone he's a male model, and 'Ponine has everyone going on the notion she's a wild party girl from the Valley."

"What?" Alex was shocked, "people believe all that?"

"What can I say, people are stupid," Grantaire laughed, "and there is our Calvin Klein model now," Grantaire pointed to where Tony was chatting up some girls. "Yo Tony! What's up?" He shouted.

Tony said his goodbyes to the ladies and ran to join his friends, "Hey guys what's up?"

"We were discussing the new Alex," Grantaire answered.

"I've got one," Tony smiled mischievously, "how about being a male stripper?"

Alex began to protest but was cut off by Grantaire, "Seriously man, that's the best you've got?"

"Forgive me for trying on an empty stomach," Tony replied.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Grantaire smiled.

"If you're thinkin' Corinth's then hell yeah!" Tony laughed.

"Wait, what's Corinth's?" Alex interrupted.

"What's Corinth's?" Grantaire repeated, "only the best food cart in LA!"

"You ready to join a cult man?" Tony wrapped his arms around Alex's shoulders as he directed him towards the food cart. It was small and unassuming but the smell of the food coming from the inside smelled amazing.

Grantaire stepped up, ordered and paid and Tony was about to do the same as Alex read the menu. A kid of about sixteen came up, hovered around the cart for a bag of chips and grabbed them stuffing them in his hoodie pocket. The owner of the food truck caught him as he handed Grantaire his order in a brown paper bag.

"Hey, you have to pay for that," The owner came over to the door to stop him, the boy pushed him and took of running, as if it was an instinct Alex quickly took after him.

"Dammit," Grantaire sighed, "come on Tony we have to get him."

"What? I'm still hungry!" Tony complained.

"Doesn't matter, you know what's going to happen if we don't catch him," Grantaire started to run.

"Shit," Tony muttered as they both ran quickly following Alex dodging obstacles and people in their way. They didn't catch up with him until he rounded a corner into an alley. Tony began to sprint and soon he tackled Alex to the ground grabbing the collar of his tee shirt in his fist.

"Jesus Alex, what the hell were you thinking?" Tony panted.

"You just let him get away!" Alex fought back.

"And what exactly were you going to do? Flash your badge and arrest him for stealing a freaking bag of chips?" Grantaire calmly approached him, "Tony get off of him."

Tony got up off of Alex's chest, "Man, you almost burned the Corinth..." He mumbled.

"I was doing what was right," Alex glared as he got up.

"No, that wasn't right," Grantaire replied, "you were following the manual, and let me tell you something, it's not always right, frankly screw the manual, it wasn't written for you in the here and now."

Alex said nothing as he followed Grantaire and Tony down the boardwalk back to Graceland.

At six the next morning Alex's alarm went off and he got up, made his bed and dressed to go running along the beach. While he was out he saw Éponine strolling down the beach in a state of disarray. She was wearing the same clothes from the previous night, her hair had fallen from it's updo, she was wearing sunglasses, holding her shoes in one hand and as he passed her she smelt strongly of alchol.

"Good morning sunshine," Alex greeted her.

"Too happy, too loud," Éponine grumbled as she walked along the beach the waves lapping at her feet.

Alex shook his head and continue to run for about an hour and a half before returning to the house. Once back he could smell pancakes cooking, Grantaire was standing at the griddle making short stacks of pancakes for everyone present. Bahorel was busy reading the newspaper and drinking a glass of his orange juice, Tony was reading the comics and Éponine sat at the island with her head on the table.

Alex looked at her as she groaned loudly, "Fuck my life."

"You know I wish I could say her walks of shame were rare," Grantaire grinned and placed a plate of pancakes next to her.

Éponine slowly raised her head, she was still wearing her sunglasses that Alex had seen earlier, "This is not a walk of shame," she replied defensively, "this pathetic sight you see before you is the price of cultivating a CI who likes Jagermeister and dubstep."

"Well sister you knew the price when you joined the bureau," Grantaire smiled.

"Fuck you R," Éponine turned to him.

"Hey don't bite the hand that feeds you, I could just as easily take those pancakes away from you," Grantaire teased her with the spatula, "hey Tony check the mail will ya?"

"But it's right next to you!" Tony complained.

"And I'm busy, check the mail," Grantaire ordered.

Tony put the paper down, got up, grabbed the mail and began sorting it, "Lotsa junk and lookie what we have here!" He held up two letters that were printed with the bureau's stationary. "We have one for R, and one for Alex, Psych Evaluations."

"Not this again, I've completed my punch card, gotten my free sandwich and a complimentary cookie," Grantaire tried tossing the letter into the trashcan but he missed.

"Hey, don't throw that away in front of the kid!" Éponine called to Grantaire, "listen, Alex, if you want to go the office is just downtown, okay?"

Grantaire snorted and passed two plates of pancakes to Chris and Tony ignoring Alex. Alex sighed, "This isn't about yesterday is it?"

"Yesterday?" Éponine cut in.

"He almost burned the Corinth!" Grantaire turned back to her, even with her sunglasses on he knew that she was glaring at him something fierce.

"The Corinth?" Chris perked up, "don't do that man, that shit's real."

"Okay, alright, I swear it won't happen again, in fact I'll swear on the manual that you think I love so much, I will never do anything so stupid again," Alex huffed.

"Woah, never say never buddy boy," Grantaire replied and passed him some pancakes, "but I do appreciate the apology."

Alex opened his letter and realized that besides the psych eval there was a set of orders, "The bureau wants me on something."

Grantaire sighed deeply, "I dunno bout that."

"Come on R, they didn't send me out here to laze about on the beach!" Alex argued.

Éponine, Tony and Chris ignored the other two agents and had a nice amicable discussion about the weather.

"Upstairs, now," Grantaire decided, he flung the dish towel he had draped over his shoulder onto the table and took Alex up the stairs.

"It's in the orders R, they think I'm ready," Alex pressed.

"I disagree, you have been in the field for hardly two weeks, still have that new car smell," Grantaire countered as they went out onto the balcony, "or did you already forget about the time when you almost shot Marius? No wait... Marius almost shot you."

Alex sighed, "What about the counterfeiters?"

"Inactive," Grantaire replied bluntly.

"That Mexican drug cartel working off the coast?" Alex began listing cases he had read about in the files.

"You're still on Spanish 101 man, hell no," Grantaire scoffed.

"Fine, what about Patron-Minette?" Alex asked.

"Brujon's gang? Are you crazy?" Grantaire looked at him wide eyed, "you sure there isn't anything in your eval about testing for insanity?"

"I think I could handle it," Alex replied confidently.

"You think you can handle it?" Grantaire snorted, "I've been on these guys for months without inching closer and you think you can handle it?"

"Maybe you just need some fresh eyes to look at it?" Alex shrugged.

"No," Grantaire replied, "anyway, there are over one million crimes in this city, I think we can find one for you with training wheels."

Alex sighed and left Grantaire as he went downtown to the FBI office, when he got there he noticed some things off. Specifically the lack of any title on Dr. Bordeaux's door sign, that was the first thing he noticed.

"Hello, you must be Alex," Dr. Bordeaux greeted him and firmly shook his hand.

"Dr. Bordeaux," Alex replied nodding.

"Please, just call me Henri," Dr. Bordeaux smiled as Alex sat down in the chair across from his desk, "so how do you like Graceland?"

"It's great, I wasn't sure at first bit the people there are fantastic," Alex nodded he then noticed a large book sitting on the end table, "History of the FBI," Alex read the title aloud.

"It's a good read," Henri replied as Alex turned to the page listing the directors of the past, "I've heard you would like to be director someday."

"You read my file?" Alex slowly closed the book and set it back down.

"Yes," Henri nodded, "Alex, why did you join the bureau?"

Alex smiled at the memory, "My grandfather."

"So you're a legacy?" Henri asked.

"No, he was a photographer," Alex explained, "a crime scene photographer," he paused, "he told me once that Hoover himself selected him for a case."

"Why do you want to become director?" Henri continued pressing forward with his questions.

Alex looked at him calmly but his blue eyes seemed blazing, "Because I believe there is evil in the world and I have to fight it." He then noticed that Henri didn't seem to be taking notes the way a shrink would, "You're not a real doctor, are you?"

Henri smiled, "What gave it away?"

"You had no 'Dr' on your sign, I think you bought this book for me, and if you were a shrink I wouldn't feel like I was being interrogated." Alex replied coolly.

Henri nodded, "You're right, in fact I'm your case manager for this business with Grantaire."

Alex let out a sigh of relief, "Oh thank god, I would love for someone to tell me what's going on!"

"Let's go for a walk," Henri walked Alex out into the enclosed courtyard, "we want you to get close to Grantaire, find out what he's up to."

"That's going to be hard, you can't get close to R overnight," Alex replied.

"R?" Henri asked.

"It's what we call Grantaire," Alex sighed, "anyway it's not going to be easy."

"That's why the bureau chose you," Henri smiled, "besides, you will be in Graceland for the duration."

It was nearing noon by the time Alex returned to Graceland and as he walked up the stairs he could see Éponine in her room making her bed. She certainly looked a lot better, it seemed that a shower and a large dose of Advil was all she needed, then it hit him. Éponine might know how to get Grantaire to put him on a case, and in turn get close to him. He lightly knocked on her door to get her attention.

"What is it?" Éponine asked.

"I was wondering if I could get some advice," Alex answered her.

"You will only get my sagely advice if you help me make my bed," Éponine smiled as she let him in the two of them set to work.

"It's about Grantaire," Alex sighed, "about being put on a case, how can I convince him I'm ready?"

"You need to prove yourself, come up with a really great plan," Éponine replied as she was straightening out the flat sheet before tucking it in. "You're a really smart kid, I know you can figure something out."

Alex smiled slightly, "You see he's been working on this gang, Patron-Minette-"

"Patron-Minette?" Éponine cut him off.

"You've heard about them?" Alex turned to her questioningly, she seemed to pale slightly.

"I grew up in an area they consider their turf," Éponine replied hastily, "of course I've heard of them." She then pulled the comforter onto the bed and folded down the top edge.

"So R has gotten close to this guy named Jondrette," Alex noticed when he mentioned his name she stiffened slightly. "He seems to be Brujon's right hand man."

Éponine nodded as if she knew that fact already, "Well with guys like Patron-Minette you need to give them something that they want, if I recall correctly it was mostly drugs, and smuggling."

"Not anymore, they've branched out quite a bit," Alex replied.

"Then that should make your job easier," Éponine smiled, "now I remember, I need a man for tonight."

"A man?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Yep, a man," Éponine grinned, "are you up for the job?"

Alex shrugged, "I suppose?"

"Good, 'cause you're going to be my boyfriend," Éponine wrapped her arms around his neck, the closeness of their encounter was making Alex uncomfortable.

"B-boyfriend?" Alex stammered.

"Yeah, my cool, confident and sexy boyfriend," Éponine still had her arms wrapped around his neck, "you in?"

When Alex didn't reply she let go of him and stepped away, she began to laugh, "Oh come on I don't make you that nervous, do I?"

Alex blushed his response.

"I'm just teasing you," Éponine smiled, "come on, it's time we took you to the closet."

"The closet?" Alex asked.

"Yep," Éponine grabbed onto the neck of his shirt, "follow me," she dragged him out of the room, up the stairs and into a sort of walk in closet complete with a vanity. "This is the closet, it's where we store things we've collected over the years, sometimes I raid it just for fun," she began thumbing through the racks.

Alex picked up an old dinosaur of a cellphone, "Do you guys time travel too?"

"Haha, very funny, not," Éponine replied as she pulled a leather jacket off of one of the racks, "put this on."

Just then Chris joined them at sat down at the vanity, "What a day," he sighed as he tossed the Anaheim Angels hat he was wearing into the floor. "Going in for birds and coming out with these," Chris withdrew a bullet from his pocket to show Éponine, "a whole case of them."

"Wait, aren't these cop killers?" Alex looked at the bullet, "they're Teflon coated, they can pierce Kevlar and are illegal in all fifty states."

"Boy knows his guns," Chris nodded clearly impressed as he used an alcohol wipe to remove a temporary tattoo from the back of his neck, "I'll see you two later."

"Not likely Chris, Alex and I are going out tonight," Éponine smiled.

"You two have fun," Chris smiled, "and Alex keep an eye on her, I know for a fact she is a hilarious drunk, but she is more useful when sober."

Éponine frowned, "Screw you Chris."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Chris winked at Éponine and walked out of the room.

"What does he mean by that?" Alex asked as he saw Éponine's face turn red slightly.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing," Éponine replied, "anyway, I need you to be confident tonight, you can't shy away from me, okay?"

"Okay," Alex nodded, "why am I doing this?"

"I need someone to keep the men off of me at the bar," Éponine replied crossing her arms over her chest.

"So I'm just supposed to make it seem like you're taken?" Alex asked.

"You are so smart!" Éponine teased.

"Where are we going?" Alex the proceeded to ask.

"I think it's about time you met 'Chetta, I think you'll like her," Éponine smiled.

Together they walked into a karaoke bar, Alex had his arm draped across Éponine's shoulder as they scanned the place. "You've got to do better than that," Éponine whispered to him, "grab my ass."

"What!?" Alex whispered back to her.

"Mark your territory and grab my ass," Éponine ordered.

While on the inside Alex felt extremely embarrassed on the outside he was attempting to put out an aura of calm as he grabbed her ass.

Éponine smirked,"So I guess your hand squeezy thing was good for something after all."

Alex noticed a woman with blonde hair and green eyes singing karaoke on stage. "Who's that?" he asked.

"That's 'Chetta," Éponine smiled but then she slightly punched him in the shoulder, "stop staring, you're supposed to be my boyfriend!" she hissed.

They watched as 'Chetta finished, blew a kiss to man dressed flamboyantly and walked over to him.

"That is Bamatabois, biggest skeeze I've ever met," Éponine explained as they watched 'Chetta kiss the man, take his drink and walk past them, "bathroom, now." Éponine led Alex into the girls bathroom.

'Chetta was in a stall but had left the drink on the sink as Éponine pulled out a packet of what appeared to be birth control. She slipped off her shoe and started crushing a few of the tablets with the heel.

At the same time there was a flush, 'Chetta came out of the stall and washed her hands. Éponine then put the broken tablets into the drink and handed it to her.

"You sure it's wise to combine alcohol and medication?" Alex finally spoke up.

"That's not for me," 'Chetta smirked, "hey new kid, my name is Musichetta, but everyone just calls me 'Chetta."

"So then who is that for?" Alex inquired about the drink.

Éponine put her shoe back on and held up the birth control packaging, "A couple of these and a man will lose all his dignity, if you know what I mean," she winked.

Alex's face reddened causing Éponine and 'Chetta to giggle.

"Good luck girly," Éponine smiled at 'Chetta, "we'll see you later."

They all left the bathroom, and after Alex and Éponine and Alex spent some time at the bar (with only Éponine drinking) Alex took the now drunk older agent back to Graceland. She was laughing and giggling the whole way, her cheeks were tinged pink, she looked very pretty...

Wait, where had that thought come from? Alex wondered, as he put the car in park and got out of the Jeep.

"Are we here?" Éponine asked lazily.

"Yes," Alex replied as she giggled some more.

"Help me out, will you Honeybear?" Éponine smiled.

Alex blushed as he helped her out of the car and through the front door. In the living room Chris was sitting on the couch and heard Éponine laughing, he sighed.

"Hey, Alex, I thought you promised me you wouldn't let 'Ponine get drunk!" Chris shouted.

"I tried," Alex replied, "seriously, I tried."

Chris went over to where Alex was supporting the other agent, "damn, how much did she drink?"

"Not a lot," Alex replied, he had been watching her, "really just a few shots and a beer tops."

"Whatever it was, it must have been strong to make her like this," Chris replied, "she's no lightweight."

Then Éponine laughed loudly, "I can't believe you guys fell for that!" She was now standing up straight and looking perfectly fine, "Alex I get, but seriously Chris?"

"Wait, you were faking?" Alex looked at her in confusion.

"Yep!" Éponine smiled.

"Christ 'Ponine, that wasn't funny," Chris grumbled, "cause if you were ever to drink enough to put you in that sort of state I feel like I would need to call 911 to have your stomach pumped."

"Whatever," Éponine rolled her eyes, "anyway, goodnight boys!" She walked up the stairs and disappeared into her own room.

Alex just stared in confusion not fully understanding what had just happened, instead he sighed and trudged up the stairs to his room. That night he continued to ponder any idea that could help him with nabbing Patron-Minette.

"These are cop killers," Alex remembered from his earlier talk with Chris, cop killers... Extremely powerful bullets that could go through Kevlar, maybe that was the answer.


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Alex awoke the next morning he had formulated the beginnings of some sort of plan to present to Grantaire. To him it seemed solid and viable, he only hoped that the Grantaire, being the senior agent, would agree. Now he only had one thing left to do before he spoke with Grantaire, he had to make a deal with Chris.

He found the Customs agent sitting down at the kitchen table with what appeared to be a large stack of paperwork.

"Hey Chris can I ask you something?" Alex asked as he sat across from him.

"What do you need Levi?" Chris asked as he started twirling the pen his right hand.

"I need to borrow something," Alex continued.

Chris stopped twirling the pen, "Borrow something?"

"More specifically those bullets you picked up yesterday," Alex spoke nervously.

"The cop killers?" Chris looked at him in shock, "are you crazy? If even one of those gets loose on the streets and pierces the vest of an LAPD officer it will be on my head!"

"Chris please," Alex tried to reason with him, "I'll even get R to sign for them."

"Like that makes me feel any better," Chris grumbled.

"I'll do an entire week for you on the chore wheel," Alex tried to bargain.

"I dunno man," Chris scratched his head.

"Come on Chris," Alex sighed, "let those bullets do some good in the world."

Chris huffed, "Alright, but that's going to cost you two weeks on the wheel."

"Done deal," Alex held out his hand and they shook on it.

"Two weeks man!" Chris reiterated.

Alex nodded and went to go talk to Grantaire, he went upstairs and knocked on his door.

"Go away 'Ferre!" Grantaire shouted.

"It's not Combeferre," Alex replied.

"Levi?" Grantaire called, there was some shuffling and he opened the door, judging by his state of undress he had still been sleeping. "What is it man?"

"I have a plan," Alex replied.

"A plan?" Grantaire replied blearily.

"Yeah, maybe a way to get us closer to Brujon and his gang," Alex explained.

"Uh huh..." Grantaire nodded, "you have a plan," he sighed, "well then, let's hear it."

"So we should offer them something that they either want or need," Alex began, "and yesterday Chris got a case of cop killers, they could want those."

Grantaire just stared for a moment, "Okay, but I still don't see a plan here."

"I'm not done yet," Alex interjected, "we have someone go in as a Marine, these bullets were going out for shooting practice, but some didn't make it to the firing range."

Grantaire yawned loudly, "I'm not sure, seems risky, too many moving pieces..."

"Morning R!" 'Chetta called.

"'Chetta?" Grantaire scratched his head, "you came back last night?"

"Yeah," 'Chetta smiled, "he kicked me out, told me to go home."

"Couldn't get it up could he?" Grantaire grinned.

"Nope," 'Chetta replied.

"You know one of these days he's going to stop drinking," Grantaire smiled.

"Hey, aren't we going to do something about Patron-Minette?" Alex cut in.

"Not now kid," Grantaire held up his hand, "your plan has a few too many kinks that could go wrong, once you work those out then we'll talk."

Alex sighed and walked away, Musichetta's lips turned into a frown, "Little harsh wasn't that? Besides, what was his plan?"

"Send someone in as a Marine with those bullets Chris got and then arrest them when they leave with them," Grantaire sighed, "if that goes wrong it could be very messy."

"I see what you mean," 'Chetta nodded, "but is a good plan, give the kid credit."

"I know," Grantaire sighed, "so how are things with Bambi?"

"Do you mean Bamatabois?" 'Chetta frowned, "I hate the damn pig, and I can't get anything out of him because he won't talk business in front of a woman!" 'Chetta was slowly getting furious.

An idea slowly started to form in Grantaire's head, "I think I know how we can take Bambi down," he smiled.

"R, I couldn't ask that of you," 'Chetta pushed back a stray strand of her blonde hair.

"It's no big deal," Grantaire shrugged, "it would get you what you want, and what I want as well."

"What do you mean?" 'Chetta asked.

"Nothing really, but it will be good," Grantaire replied, "so how are things with you and that new ME's assistant?"

"What, Joly?" 'Chetta blushed slightly, "oh things are good, nice guy."

"That's great 'Chetta, now I've got to find Alex," Grantaire huffed.

'Chetta turned to him, "But didn't you just-"

"Doesn't matter, gotta talk, see you later chica!" Grantaire waved her off and walked towards Alex's room. He was stopped when he saw Cosette pulling down pictures from a pin board.

"What's going on?" Grantaire asked as he leaned on the door frame.

Cosette sighed, "DEA is pulling my cover with the Russians."

"So how are you getting out of there?" Grantaire asked as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Going back to Ukraine to care for my sick father," Cosette replied.

"What's ailing your Papa?" Grantaire asked.

"I thought of you, and he's Russian, too much Vodka," Cosette replied, "it's bad for liver, no?"

Grantaire laughed, "I bet they'll get you on something new soon, don't worry it will all work out, now I really must go talk to Alex."

"What about?" Cosette asked.

"FBI stuff," Grantaire waved her off, "gotta go!"

Cosette sighed and shook her head before returning to what she was doing.

"Alex," Grantaire knocked on the door, "Camp Pendleton called you up for active duty lets go."

Alex came to the door, "You mean we are using my plan?"

"For the most part," Grantaire nodded.

Alex could hardly contain his happiness, "I- I- Wow..."

"Don't thank me kid," Grantaire patted him on the shoulder, "we have work to do lets get cracking."

"Yes sir!" Alex replied, "I mean R..."

Grantaire called for Tony and Éponine to discuss what they were going to do, Tony was more than raring to go but Éponine was acting unusually quiet.

"'Ponine, are you listening?" Grantaire turned to her.

"Huh?" Éponine raised her eyebrows, "yes R, I'm listening."

"Okay, just checking," Grantaire nodded, "we have a lot of work to go over."

"Right," Éponine nodded looking extremely ill at ease.

That night Grantaire pulled Éponine off to the side away from everyone else, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Éponine grumbled.

"This certainly doesn't seem like nothing," Grantaire folded his arms across his chest.

"Trust me R, I'm fine," Éponine replied.

"If you were fine we wouldn't be having this conversation," Grantaire sighed.

Éponine looked out the window, "I don't want to talk about it."

"'Ponine, the reason I'm here to talk to you is because you need it," Grantaire smiled slightly, "let it out."

Éponine bit her lower, "I- it's about Jondrette."

"Jondrette?" Grantaire asked, "what do you know about Jondrette?"

Éponine twirled a lock of hair around her finger, "Well let's start with the fact that he's-"

"Hey, you two up for some drinks?" 'Chetta asked, "We were thinking we'd go to the Musain."

"We might see you there later," Grantaire nodded, "right now is bureau business."

"Okay then," 'Chetta nodded, "bureau business," she accented the words with finger quotes, "well don't leave us hanging!"

This left Grantaire alone with Éponine once more, "What were you saying?" he prodded.

Éponine inhaled, "Jondrette, well Jondrette is my father."

"Thenardier say what?" Grantaire's jaw dropped.

"It's true, Albert Jondrette is really Albert Thenardier," Éponine explained.

"Jesus Christ, that's insane..." Grantaire ran his hand through his hair, "we really need you but if you want we can try and get another agent on the case."

"I doubt he would recognize me," Éponine shrugged.

"Why is that?" Grantaire asked.

"I think the last time I saw him I was fourteen years old," Éponine nodded.

"Fourteen, that was what twelve years ago?" Grantaire did the calculation and then smiled, "Heh, trying to picture you at the wonderfully awkward age of fourteen."

"Oh stop it!" Éponine hit him playfully, "I wasn't that awkward," she paused, "okay maybe I was." Her tone quickly became serious again, "please swear to me you won't tell the others, they can't know!"

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Grantaire grinned.

"Shut your face," Éponine shook her head, "you are lucky I like you."

"Now how about we take up 'Chetta's offer and go for drinks?" Grantaire asked.

"Oh what's that old saying?" Éponine spoke thoughtfully, "I remember! Something like, 'Grantaire without a bottle in his hand is like a shopping cart without a broken wheel.'"

"Funny 'Ponine," Grantaire rolled his eyes, "maybe you should quit the bureau and do stand up comedy.

"Are we gonna get drinks or not?" Éponine asked.

"Alright, let's go," Grantaire started to walk away with Éponine behind him.

Next morning they were putting their plan into action, Alex was decked out in proper military garb including fake dog tags. As he finished getting dressed he couldn't help but notice that Éponine was being quiet throughout the process instead of cracking jokes or flirting, it was strange.

"So the main thing is to get Jondrette the bullets and get out," Grantaire put a hand on his shoulder, "but sell it, we can't have him doubt you for even a second."

"Got it," Alex nodded.

Éponine then offered him a small smile, "Good luck," she spoke in a quiet voice.

Alex nodded his reply before getting into the car with Grantaire, together they drove off to make their deal with Jondrette. They pulled up to a junkyard where they were met by two men baring guns.

"Tell Jondrette that Ben has brought him an important friend," Grantaire told them, one of then men ran off while the other stepped back as they drove deeper into the junkyard. They were greeted by a smiling man with brown hair and brown eyes. Something about the man and his appearance made Alex feel somewhat uneasy, there was a familiarity in his face, but he couldn't place it. Something about his crooked smile was nagging at Alex but he had never met him before, how was this possible?

"Benny you're here!" The man smiled.

"Jondrette, great to see you," Grantaire nodded.

"No please, you can call me Al," Jondrette smiled, "this is your important friend?"

"Alex, from Camp Pendelton," Grantaire explained, "a Marine."

"A Marine?" Jondrette nodded clearly impressed, "so what do you have for me."

"Floor is your's buddy boy," Grantaire smiled at him.

Alex got out of the car and grabbed the case of bullets and pulled them out, after removing the lid he picked up one. "We have for you several hundred rounds of cop killers, can pierce Kevlar like a knife in butter."

Jondrette looked at him incredulously, "Pierce through Kevlar? We'll see about that," Jondreette turned to his men, "bring out the bears!" He ordered.

"Bears?" Alex asked in confusion.

"Smokey bears," Jondrette gave him a toothy smile, "cops."

Soon lined up in various positions in a makeshift shooting range were five oversized teddy bears wearing Kevlar vests. Alex watched as Jondrette and his men loaded the bullets into their guns and began firing, and try as they may they couldn't hit their targets.

"What is this bullshit?!" Jondrette shouted at Grantaire, "what crap are you trying to sell us?"

Grantaire tried to smooth things over while Alex stayed silent, "I'm sure with a little practice-"

"Are you saying we can't shoot?" Jondrette snarled at him.

"No I'm not," Grantaire replied, "all I'm saying is-"

"That's exactly what he's saying," Alex cut in.

"Excuse me?" Jondrette turned on him.

"You can't shoot," Alex replied calmly, his voice never faltering, "at least, not until you know how, these bullets are heavier and will throw of your aim." Alex began to explain, he began talking as if quoting a text on firearms, "may I?" He held his hand out to Jondrette to take the gun.

Jondrette turned to Grantaire, "Will he shoot me?" he asked.

"If he does I'll shoot him," Grantaire replied cooly.

Slowly Jondrette have his gun to Alex who loaded it with new rounds, he walked over to the firing range and took aim. As he emptied the gun all the bullets hit their intended targets on the bears, the Kevlar vests that they were wearing. As he had said it pierced right through them with holes resembling Swiss cheese.

"Because of the weight of the bullets, if you aim lower on the target you will hit what you want," Alex finished as he handed the emptied gun back to Jondrette who smiled.

"I see," Jondrette nodded as he put the gun back in it's holster and began talking "business" with Grantaire. When the deal had been struck with a tentative idea that they would be getting closer to Brujon they loaded the case into Jondrette's car and they drove off the lot leaving Alex and Grantaire behind.

"So we have a tracker on them, don't we?" Alex whispered to Grantaire.

"Not unless you put one there," Grantaire whispered back.

"A picture of their plates?" Alex asked again.

"They switched them as soon as they left the lot," Grantaire replied.

"So we've got nothing on them?" Alex's eyes widened.

"'Ponine was right, you are a smart kid," Grantaire teased, "come on let's go."

Alex got in the car and there was a tense silence all the way until Grantaire turned off into an are populated by storage units and decrepit apartment buildings. "Levi, have you ever been to Guadalajara?" Grantaire asked.

Alex glared at Grantaire, "No."

"They have great food in Guadalajara," Grantaire smiled, "but there is one thing they don't have," he chuckled lightly, "and it's a downright shame," he turned to Alex, "they don't have sour cream."

"Okay," Alex replied incredulously.

"Yet here at Sun City Hot Dogs," Grantaire pulled up in front of a hotdog stand, "they have the Guadalajara Dog smothered with cheese, jalapeños and sour cream." Grantaire passed him a twenty, "I'm dying for one right now and root beer, get something for yourself as well."

Alex took the bill with a huff and walked up to the hot dog stand too see there was a long line. He ducked off to the side and made a phone call to the FBI LA office, "Can I talk to Henri Bordeaux? He's not in? Thanks I'll call later..." he hung up the phone and started pushing his way through the crowd to the front, "Excuse me, with LA animal control, let me through please."

All the people standing in line backed away in a slight panic, once he got to the front Alex smiled at them, "Don't worry, I'm not shutting it down." He placed his order at the stand and returned back to where Grantaire was rocking out to the radio.

Grantaire smiled, "Fantastic, chili cheese? You are such a rebel!"

"So why are we sitting here?" Alex asked.

"We are waiting, so eat your dog," Grantaire said between bites.

"Waiting? Waiting for what?" Alex asked as he began to unwrap his hot dog.

"Alex, do you trust me?" Grantaire asked, "be honest."

"No sir," Alex replied.

Grantaire nodded, "Okay so let's just watch the show."

Alex sighed, "What show?"

"Well Mr. FBI manual, it is safe to assume you know what a heat run is?" Grantaire asked.

"A heat run is when someone makes a series of random turns or speed changes to avoid a tail," Alex replied.

"Exactly, do you think Jondrette made a heat run after he left the junkyard?" Grantaire continued.

"If he was smart, then yes," Alex nodded.

"The thing about Jondrette is while he makes a heat run, he does the same one every time," Grantaire laughed.

"So you know exactly where he's going," Alex realized.

"Right, and if I'm right, which I usually am," Grantaire smirked, "he should be coming right about now."

There was silence, no cars matching Jondrette's drove by, Alex could see that Grantaire looked nervous, "Any minute now..."

Just then a large black SUV came around the corner, at the same time a large van pulled up with men jumping out bearing large semi-automatic guns, they forced Jondrette and his men out of their car.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Alex asked.

"It's Bamatabois' men," Grantaire answered.

"Wait, what?" Alex exclaimed, "aren't we going to do anything?"

"If you wanna go in there when they are all guns blazing be my guest," Grantaire gestured to the ensuing fight.

Alex sat back and watched as Jondrette was left empty handed and Bamatabois crew drove off.

"Okay, let's go get our bullets back for Chris," Grantaire took the car out of park and started driving, they parked in front of the karaoke bar that he had been at the night before with Éponine.

"Here," Grantaire tossed him a black tee-shirt, "don't need you all military now."

Alex switched shirts, took off the dog tags and followed Grantaire into the bar.

Inside Bamatabois was sitting there looking pleased as he sat there, "We've got what you asked, what do you have for me?" He then looked at Alex and cocked his head, "you look familiar..."

Alex raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Me? Oh I was in here last night with my girl."

"Ahh... That little brunette, right?" Bamatabois smiled.

Alex nodded but was cut off by Grantaire, "Now that we've got that cleared up lets make a deal," Grantaire pulled out a large black case.

Bamatabois had his men bring out the case of the remaining bullets and not even a minute later the club was flooded with agents. Two Ops agents took Alex and Grantaire outside while the rest rounded up Bamatabois and his men.

"How did you? How did they?" Alex stammered.

"Easy, called when you were getting the dogs," Grantaire replied, "by the way, who were you talking to before you ordered?"

A knot formed in the pit of Alex's stomach, "M-messages," he nodded.

"Messages?" Grantaire raised an eyebrow, "alrighty then."

"So why didn't you tell me?" Alex asked.

"Well you did say that you don't trust me," Grantaire shrugged.

"But there were so many things that could have gone wrong! Jondrette could have done a different heat run, Bamatabois could have-"

"It doesn't matter," Grantaire cut him off, "the point is that it worked."

Alex pursed his lips and stayed silent knowing it was useless to fight with his training officer.  
xxxxxxx  
That night under the simple reasoning that "because they could" the residents of Graceland (minus 'Chetta) gathered on the beach for beers and a bonfire. Tony was busy telling the story he had wormed out of Alex earlier about the bears... With his own twist of course.

"And so we begin the tale of our own 'Apollo the Impaler'" Tony began, "it all begins when after Alex broke into the junkyard, soon he was surrounded by giant bears!"

Éponine let out a highly dramatic gasp causing everyone to laugh loudly.

"The first bear, an ugly old brute, thinks he can outwit Alex by coming up on from behind... Big mistake!" Tony made his hands into a gun like shape and pointed it at Cosette.

"Oh great," Cosette rolled her eyes.

"Bang, bang!" Tony shouted.

"Oh no, he got me, he got me! Oh what a world!" Cosette laid down slowly in the sand.

"Next he comes up on the one called 'Papa Bear'" Tony turns his attention to Grantaire, "this only takes one shot, bam!"

"Ahhhh..." Grantaire groaned as he fell, "I hope they have honey in heaven."

"He hears the footfalls, or is it pawfalls?" Tony paused, "Whatever, he hears another bear coming up behind him, 'hands up!' he shouts!" Tony was now pointing at Éponine who threw her hands in the air, "Bang, the bear falls!"

Éponine chose to do it differently, "Don't you fret! I don't feel any-" she cut off her sentence as she let herself fall into Alex's lap and she smiled at him, this had caused him to blush but in the glow of the firelight no one could see.

"The next bear is a silent and stoic bear and remains unnoticed until Alex comes up behind him," Tony glanced at Chris, "and always being the gentleman and not wishing to shoot the bear in the back, he alerts him of his presence, but before the bear can do anything more than turn around he is dead!"

"Oh woe is me..." Chris replied after he swallowed a mouthful of beer.

Tony could see 'Chetta coming towards them, "This leaves us with one last bear, Alex searches everywhere and finally the two run into each other, the bear raises it's paw to strike Alex but his gun is too fast, bang, bang!" Tony pointed his "gun" at 'Chetta.

"What just happened?" 'Chetta asked.

"Levi just shot you!" Éponine replied.

"Okay," the blonde nodded, "hold this for a moment?" Musichetta handed her beer to Chris, "Ack! Oh! I'm wounded, I've been shot!" she fell to her knees and then onto her back.

"And that my friends is the tale of Apollo and the five bears!" Tony concluded with a graceful bow.

"Apollo?" Alex laughed.

"Yeah," Tony smirked, "no one has ever told you that you look like the Greek God incarnate?"

"No," Alex shook his head, "I can't say that they have."

After the campfire died down everyone went to go inside, Grantaire's phone rang. "Hello?" He listened to the other end, "I see, alright." He then hung up his phone, "Levi, we gotta go!"

Alex had been talking with Éponine, "Go, go where?"

Grantaire put his hand on Alex's shoulder, "Brujon calls."

With a sigh Alex followed Grantaire out to his car and got in, they drove to a more industrial part of town to an old warehouse by the water. They walked inside carefully, it seemed no one was there, they both had their guns drawn and were waiting in the darkness. Alex heard the metallic click of a gun being loaded and turned around to see Grantaire standing there with his gun pointed at Alex.

Confused and scared Alex raised his hands while Grantaire glared at him, "Who you been talking to?"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Gasp! Two updates? Isn't this amazing? So things are slowly getting tense at Graceland and soon we might hit a boiling point for one Mamselle Thenardier... Please keep reviewing!

* * *

"Who you been talking to?" Grantaire asked as his gun was pointed at Alex.

"No one," Alex replied as his hand slowly drifted towards his gun.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you," Grantaire's voice was cold and his eyes narrowed.

Alex slowly raised his hands and Grantaire snatched his gun and now had them both pointed at him, "Who?!" His voice bounced off of the warehouse walls. The lights turned on and other men armed with guns approached, one in particular was dressed in a suit and Jondrette stood by him.

"Put the guns down Ben," The man in the suit ordered, "today is not a good day to die."

"Brujon," Grantaire replied as he put the guns down.

"It seems like we have met before, doesn't it?" Brujon smiled, "Al has told me a lot about you."

"All good I hope," Grantaire replied.

Brujon nodded, "So why did you pull your gun on your friend here?"

"We heard your bullets were taken by Bamatabois," Grantaire turned to Brujon, "then want a meeting, when we come in here and you guys are loading up it all makes sense, you think one of us had something to do with it."

"Smart, and a quick thinker," Brujon smiled, "like that in a man."

"I didn't sell you out," Grantaire replied, "and he's the only fresh face around here," he nodded towards Alex.

While he was still afraid he felt better knowing that Grantaire didn't know about his assignment, "Oh no, no, no, I said nothing to Bamatabois."

"Shut your mouth!" Grantaire snapped.

"I'm not taking a bullet for you," Alex replied just as coldly.

"Easy Alex," Brujon cut in, "what's your story?"

"We made the buy with Al, I went back to base," Alex explained, "you could even check with my quarter master if you would like, his name is Georges Blondeau, he will tell you when he saw me."

"Because of course we have the number for the Marines," Jondrette laughed.

"I didn't rat anyone out," Alex continued defensively.

"Or maybe you followed them and gave Bamatabois the location?" Grantaire suggested.

"How could I follow them?" Alex turned to Grantaire, "don't you think Jondrette would spot a tail?"

Jondrette frowned, he was fuming, "why you little-"

"Albert," Brujon called to him, "you made a heat run? Right?"

"Of course," Jondrette turned back to Brujon.

"All the turns, back tracks and whatever?" Brujon asked.

"I always do," Jondrette nodded his head.

"How could anyone know where you would be?" Brujon glared at him, "light the stove," he ordered one of his men and he turned on Alex, "Alex, do you know what the key ingredient to any bullet is?"

"Lead, Sir," Alex replied.

"Good," Brujon turned back to Jondrette put your gun down.

"Brujon, I would never betray you!" Jondrette was beginning to panic but Brujon ignored him.

"Benny, Alex, this may prove to be an internal affair after all, you may go," Brujon dismissed them.

xxxxxxxxx

"What the hell?" Alex panted once they were back on the road, "I thought you were going to kill me!"

Grantaire smirked and laughed, "Are you alright?"

"Alright? You're asking if I'm alright?" Alex was wide eyed, "you hold two guns to my head and now Brujon is doing god knows what to Jondrette, and you ask of I'm alright?!"

"Stand up, right now, and scream," Grantaire replied calmly.

"What?" Alex didn't quiet understand.

"You heard me, scream," Grantaire spoke as he kept his eyes on the road.

Alex stared at Grantaire for a second longer, he then grabbed the edge of the windshield and stood up, the wind hit his face and he shouted into the night as they drove. As they came up onto a red light Alex sank back down into his seat.

"How do you feel?" Grantaire asked as the light turned green and he started driving.

"You know what," Alex let out a slight laugh, "I do feel better."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning Tony took Alex to the boardwalk in order to continue the process of making him more suitable for LA.

"Now we aren't gonna pierce or ink you unless you want it," Tony explained, "but man we need to trade out your polos for some graphic tees!" Tony pulled one out and showed it to Alex.

"Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon?" Alex looked at the shirt.

"It's a classic," Tony smiled, "unless you prefer Darth Vader?"

For the next better part of an hour they were selecting shirts and shorts and Tony scored him a deal on a LA Dodgers cap. As they were in the search for what Tony dubbed "The Worlds Best Taco Stand" Alex heard someone laughing. Now it wasn't that the boardwalk was empty or quiet, but he recognized the laugh. With a quick glance over his shoulder he matched the voice with Éponine, she was talking with young man with brown hair and freckles across his face.

Something twinged in Alex's heart as he watched the two and he couldn't explain it, was it jealousy? He had no right to be jealous, he and Éponine were nothing more than friends, yet this moment was as if he had been thrown a curveball and had been hit in the head. Alex seemed to go through the rest of the day in a daze trying to sort out his feelings even to when it was late in the evening and he was back at Graceland.

"Hey Levi, you seem to be thinking awful hard," Éponine stood in front of where he sat on the couch, "what's up?"

All of a sudden it was if a spell was broken, "Huh?" was Alex's only response.

"What's up?" Éponine repeated, "you seem out of it."

"Oh ... Uhh... Nothing," Alex's face flushed as he ran a hand through his hair, "how was your day?"

"Great," Éponine smiled, "saw my brother," she sighed, "they grow up so fast..."

The knot in Alex's chest sank to the pit of his stomach, "B-brother? You have a brother?" he finally got the words out of his mouth.

"Yep, course he doesn't know what I do but I made plans to meet him today, he's home for the summer before going back to college in the fall," Éponine explained.

"Oh," Alex immediately felt embarrassed.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Éponine asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Alex nodded, "I'm fine."

Éponine's smile brightened, "Great! 'Cause guess what's for dinner!"

"Grantaire isn't making his rendition of drunken noodles again is he?" Alex sighed.

"Lord help us all if he is," Éponine laughed, "no, Tony and I are tag teaming it tonight."

"You two can cook?" Alex asked, in his three weeks at Graceland he never once got the idea that his fellow agents besides Grantaire knew anything about cooking.

"Well Tony's mom is Italian, she taught him everything he knows, so he learned from the best," Éponine began, "and me?" she flipped her long hair over her shoulder, "I'm simply a goddess," she winked."

As she had flipped her hair Alex noticed that Éponine was wearing a halter top that was practically backless with a sports bra. On her back near the bottom of her ribcage was a tattoo of a red rose, except in the middle the skin seemed slightly raised and distorted, like a scar.

"Nice tat," he commented.

Éponine looked at him in confusion and then looked at her reflection in the mirror where she could barely make out the ink with the corner of her eye, "The rose?"

"Yeah, when did you get it?" Alex asked, he never pinned Éponine as a girl for anything other than piercings (of which she had multiple in her ears and a stud in her nose).

"I was eighteen, on my birthday, it was my sister's favorite flower," Éponine replied but her face seemed to dim.

"So you have a sister too?" Alex asked.

"Correction, I had a sister, she died twelve years ago," Éponine then went quiet for a moment, she then plastered on a fake looking smile, "well gotta go make dinner, see ya in a bit."

Alex thought her behavior was odd and wondered what it meant, it now seemed that despite the idea that there were no secrets at Graceland except for Grantaire, Éponine seemed to come in close at second place.

Within twenty minutes a most enticing aroma coupled with loud singing was leaving the kitchen of Graceland. Alex being curious peered in and saw an IPod plugged into speakers and blasting ABBA loudly. At the stove Éponine was stirring a large sauce pot while Tony was putting bread into the oven, both of them singing along.

"See that girl,  
Watch that scene,  
Diggin' the dancing queen!"

There was a break in the music and Alex clapped.

Éponine looked up, "Out! You aren't supposed to be in the kitchen till we're ready! Or I shall put a curse on you!"

Tony laughed and simply ushered Alex our, "Sorry man, but 'Ponine has rules."

Alex had to admit the dinner had been worth the wait, it was the best meal he had during his duration at Graceland and now everyone except for Grantaire and Cosette were enjoying shots of whiskey and trying to get Alex to join in on their fun.

xxxxxxxx

"I know that bracelet, I thought you were shutting down the cover," Grantaire called to Cosette as she walked up the stairs.

"I have a week," Cosette shrugged.

"Marius was sent to Miami," Grantaire put down the book he was reading, "good fit."

"Shut the fuck up," Cosette glared at him, "did you know Kuzmanoff wants him dead?"

"Which is why it's good he's being transferred," Grantaire replied.

"But it's not the whole mafia!" Cosette countered, "just Kuzmanoff!"

"So if you take him down Marius will come back like that?" Grantaire snapped his fingers, "it's not that easy."

"But he has something planned," Cosette replied, "he was talking about it when I was with him tonight, it's big."

"What's your plan?" Grantaire asked.

Grantaire and Cosette came down the stairs to talk with his fellow agents, "Sorry to break out the party but I need my FBI guys, we've got action tomorrow."

"Kuzmanoff wants to kill Marius," Cosette explained, "we are going to take them down before they do that, tomorrow they are taking a couple of Lamborghini's-"

"They imbed them with LoJack," Grantaire cut in, "and steal them back after sold on the black market and Cosette knows where they are going."  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day Alex had a meeting with Henri, "He pulled your own gun on you? Cocked?"

"Never does anything half-assed," Alex replied.

"And your relationship?" Henri asked.

"It's been great and now he's in with Brujon," Alex answered.

"I know, you told me that," Henri nodded, "but your report is skimpy."

Alex pursed his lips, "You drag me out of DC, then tell me to investigate my roommate, I have one question for you... Why?" Alex's blue eyes appeared to spark.

"Something specific?" Henri asked, "do you know how much Grantaire makes in a year? How does he live? Does he by nice clothes or fancy gadgets?"

"You think he is skimming cash?" Alex asked.

Henri nodded his head slightly, "And your reports-"

"With all due respect," Alex cut him off, "it's hard to write one when you live in the same place as your subject."

"Then go to Starbucks," Henri smiled, "plenty of up and coming screen writers and authors there."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx  
They had themselves set up under a bridge with spike strips in preparation for Kuzmanoff and his men. As R was testing the strips and going over the plan with Cosette Alex was talking with Éponine.

"I've been worried about her," Éponine sighed, "she just hasn't been right since... Since Marius got shot."

"I'm sure she will be fine," Alex replied, "but right now we have to be ready."

"This had better be worth it," Tony called in on transmission.

Just then the truck came speeding down the highway, "That's too fast for carrying cars," Alex called to Grantaire, "and the suspension isn't compressed."

"You're right," Grantaire began calling in to Tony and the other Ops agents.

"No, R!" Cosette followed him, "you can't do this, they're in there!"

"Cosette please!" Éponine called to her friend.

"I don't need this right now 'Ponine!" Cosette shouted, "don't do this R!"

"Abort the mission!" Grantaire called into Tony.

Cosette up the spikes and Grantaire immediately put them back down, "Are you out of your mind?"

Then it seemed as the was wanting to prove to are that she was crazy she walked out into the highway, "I'll show you!" She stood in the middle of road and held out her badge. Because of it's speed the truck was struggling to come to a stop, when it finally did it was scarcely a foot away from Cosette.

"DEA! Out of the cab now!" Cosette ordered.

Grantaire sighed and signaled for the other agents to surround the truck and ensure Cosette's safety. Slowly the driver got out of the truck with his hands in the air.

Grantaire took Alex and Cosette around to the back of the truck, "Bet it isn't even locked," when they got to the door he turned to Cosette, "well what do ya know?" He swung to doors open to reveal an empty truck, Cosette palled, her light freckles appearing darker against her fair skin.

"He must have changed the date, I'll talk to Kuzmanoff!" Cosette stammered.

"Cosette, you are done, they know who you are now!" Grantaire growled.

Cosette was getting flustered, "Hold him for twenty four hours then!"

"On what grounds?" Grantaire replied, "he's gonna go to Kuzmanoff and tell him about the crazy woman who stopped his empty truck!"

Cosette looked at the ground, "I can fix this..."

"You can't," Grantaire shook his head, "there is nothing here to fix."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alex was talking it over with Tony, Éponine, Chris and 'Chetta at the Musain, "She literally ran in front of the truck."

'Chetta stared at him with an open mouth, "That's insane! It's like she went off the deep end!"

"I've never seen are so pissed," Tony cut in, "not even when you screw up man!" He turned to Alex with a laugh.

Alex rolled his eyes and stole a fry off of Tony's plate, "Hey, what was that for?"

"So he just disappeared? You haven't seen him?" 'Chetta asked.

"You no R, he's probably off with a bottle of absinthe meditating to the world and will come back when he has found his inner peace," Chris smirked.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That night Cosette returned to her cover with Russians who were exceedingly jumpy.

"Vhy so tense?" Cosette asked Kuzmanoff.

"The Feds, they're everywhere!" Kuzmanoff sighed, "one stopped Felix and his truck today! Ran right out into the road!"

"Ahh, so no poker tonight?" Cosette asked.

"Not to night Ilina," Kuzmanoff replied, "would you like Chinese?"

"No," Cosette smiled and shook her head, "just ate, so is the Lamborghini off?"

"Nothing is off, they are staying put till I figure this out!" Kuzmanoff replied, "you sure you won't stay?"

"No, I must go," Cosette gave them a curt nod and walked out just before Felix walked in.

Alex was failing at undercover dating as his friends were calling it, although it didn't help that only girl he was interested in happened to be a part of his team and was actively flirting with men. He had just lost out on a girl while pretending to be a golfer when Grantaire walked in so he asked the the bartender for his tab.

"Your drinks have been paid for by him," Louison nodded to Grantaire.

Alex walked over to R's table as the waitress returned his card, Alex put his hand down not he card making an impression on the palm of his hand of the number. Alex took out his phone and snapped a photo and they all walked along the beach back towards the house.

Cosette returned to the house late that next morning long after everyone had doped up on Advil to kill their hangovers.

"Where you been?" Grantaire asked, he was the only he truly held onto his senses at that point.

"Don't worry about it," Cosette called as she tossed her keys on the table.

"Well I am worrying so too bad," Grantaire got off the couch and walked over to her.

"I'm tired, let me sleep," Cosette kept her face turned away and her eyes downcast.

Grantaire gently reached out and touched her face, he saw she was sporting a black eye, "Who did this to you?"

"K-kuzmanoff," Cosette replied quietly.

Grantaire frowned, "The bastard."

"I went to see if the cars were there," Cosette explained, "it was stupid."

"What happened?" Grantaire pressed.

"Kuzmanoff caught me," Cosette sighed.

"And used you as a punching bag?" Grantaire asked anger tinging his voice.

"I'm sorry R, I just wanted to know I wasn't crazy," Cosette looked at him with her wide blue eyes.

Grantaire huffed, "Did you see the cars?"

"Yeah," Cosette nodded, "they were there."

"Where is Kuzmanoff?" Grantaire asked.  
xxxxxxxxx  
Once again they were out in the field and were going to try once more to take Kuzmanoff down. This time they were at the warehouse it self and were going to go in, nothing real fancy.

"Only four guys, right?" Tony asked Cosette.

"Yeah, I'm sure of it," Cosette nodded but she didn't look confident, she looked quiet shaken.

Tony and Chris were leading the men into the warehouse and as soon as they took the door down and Kuzmanoff noticed their arrival shots were being fired all around.

"There's more men Enjolras! There's more than four men!" Tony called into the transmitter seeing as Alex was his eyes and with the camera could see men that Tony could not. After ten minutes they took down the men, some were killed, others disarmed and Kuzmanoff was arrested.

He was put into a cell where Grantaire was waiting for him, "Who are you?" Kuzmanoff asked.

"Doesn't matter," Grantaire approached him, "think of me as a ghost, or a simple shadow, because as far as anyone else is concerned I was never here."

"This wouldn't be a fair fight," Kuzmanoff held up his cuffed hands.

"You want a fair fight?" Grantaire grabbed his shirt front, "you won't be getting one! Was it a fair fight for her?" Grantaire had his fist poised to strike.

"What are you talking about?" Kuzmanoff asked, "you are crazy."

As Grantaire was Bout to punch him he looked down to see that Kuzmanoff's hands were unscathed, not even a bruise. Slowly he lowered his and let go of Kuzmanoff, with a huff he shut the cell door.

xxxxx  
Back at their favorite haunt for what seemed like the hundredth time that week and they were all celebrating what 'Chetta called "the madness that was today".

"Where is Cosette?" Grantaire asked as he picked up a pool cue.

"Wasn't up for it," Éponine spoke up.

"I guess we party on her behalf," Grantaire shrugged, "lets get a round of White Russians."

They sat at the bar enjoying their drinks when a man was getting a little too "touchy- feely" with Éponine and 'Chetta.

"Woah man lay off!" Éponine glared at him but he wouldn't leave her alone.

"Back off," Grantaire cut in, "I suggest you leave those two alone."

"Who's gonna make me?" The man taunted.

Grantaire's nostrils flared and grabbed at the man, "I am."

The man swung at Grantaire but due to his inebriated state could not land the punch and Grantaire got him right in the face.

Chris and Tony pulled Grantaire off the man apologized to the manager and Louison and walked out.

"What the hell R?" Tony turned to him as they walked down the beach, "what's gotten into you?"

R stayed quiet until they got to the house and 'Chetta sat him down in his room.

"So what's going on in that tortured brain of yours?" 'Chetta asked.

Grantaire huffed, "It doesn't make sense, you see Chris saw the truck driver today and-"

"You think he saw Cosette?" 'Chetta interjected.

"Cosette was at the warehouse last night, Kuzmanoff saw her and he beat her up," Grantaire explained.

"If he had seen her she would be dead," 'Chetta answered, "or maybe they didn't want to kill a fed?"

"So why let her go?" Grantaire questioned.

"Those LoJacks..." 'Chetta thought for a moment, "they could have... What if they put one on Lauren?"

"They could," Grantaire nodded.

"That's it then," 'Chetta realized, "they want to track her down and find out what she knows, and if they are tracking her, that will bring them straight to Graceland." 'Chetta slowly got up to leave.

"Where are you going with this?" Grantaire asked.

"I have to call the DEA," 'Chetta replied and walked out.

The next morning 'Chetta ducked into Alex's room where he had just gotten out of the shower, "Wanna play frisbee?" she asked

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Alex hastily fixed his towel which had slipped.

"Once again I ask, do you wanna play frisbee?" 'Chetta repeated.

"Let me get dressed and I'll meet you on the beach," Alex replied before kicking her out.

"Hurry, we need to find something," 'Chetta called from behind the door.

They went out and tossed the disk back and forth between them on the beach, then he watched 'Chetta nod towards one of cars parked on the street. Alex threw the disk high above her and it skidded under the car, "Sorry!" he called.

"That was terrible!" 'Chetta replied as she reached under the car, grabbed the disk and something else that was attached to the frame. "Their tracking Cosette," 'Chetta showed him the device.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Cosette stormed into the house later that day and went straight to Grantaire, "Musichetta is unbelievable! The DEA is throwing me out of Graceland!"

"Self inflicted wound," Grantaire replied, "There was a GPS tracker on your car! You could have taken down Graceland!"

"But it wasn't transmitting!" Cosette argued.

"You went back to Kuzmanoffs after you were supposed to have pulled your cover," Grantaire countered.

"R please, fight this for me!" Cosette pleaded.

"No," Grantaire shook his head, "you lied to me, you were never at the warehouse or saw the cars, want to know how I know?" he paused. "Look at my hands!" He showed her his knuckles which were scrapped and bruised from his bar fight the nigh before, "Kuzmanoffs hands were clean, he didn't hit you, so who hit you?"

"I did it for Marius, I had to do something!" Cosette glared at him.

"See this as a blessing, you will get a transfer and who knows? Maybe you will get Miami, it's better this way," Grantaire have her a hug.

xxxxx  
It had been a hectic week and Alex really didn't want to be digging around trying to scrape together information about Grantaire and his spending habits and yet here he was late at night pulling up his credit card information. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, in fact he seemed frugal in every aspect except the occasional splurge on drinks at the Musain. Then he found it, a purchase that had been made quite recently, a GPS tracking device. He shut his computer and went to sleep promising himself he would deal with it in the morning.  
xxxxxxxx  
Alex rose early the next day and went to the store where Grantaire had made his purchase and questioned the clerk confirming it was Grantaire who had made the purchase.

With a sigh he returned to Graceland to see Grantaire in the kitchen, "You just have a habit of popping up don't you?"

"Why do you say that?" Grantaire asked as he dipped his coffee, "do you not permit it? Not that it matters seeing as I'm the senior agent, so where we're you this morning?"

"Out," Alex replied vaguely.

"Out? Very nondescript," Grantaire nodded.

"I've been thinking about the tracker that 'Chetta found," Alex admitted with a sigh, "dosen't seem like the high tech stuff that the Russians would have used."

Now Grantaire sighed, "You don't miss a trick do you?"

"What do you mean?" Alex asked although he knew he was getting closer to what he needed to know.

"I bought that tracker," Grantaire admitted.

"You?" Alex's eyes grew wide, "but why?"

"The Russains would have killed her otherwise," Grantaire explained, "I couldn't have her continuing to use her cover when she was in such a position, "If I hadn't done it she could have gone down and we would probably go with her."

Alex couldn't believe what he was hearing but in some twisted way it seemed to make sense, maybe? He didn't know what to do, instead he just walked up the stairs to his room and pulled out his computer. He wanted to write the report that Henri wanted but he didn't know what to say, it seemed he was at a standstill.


	6. Chapter 6

"Christophe Bahorel! Step away from the pot!" Éponine ordered, the only time she ever let any one else (besides Tony) in the kitchen while she cooked was when she was making "Grandma Marianne's Chicken Soup". It was a three day long process that produced good results, at least that's what everyone else had told Alex.

"If it's the middle of summer, in California, why are you making soup?" Alex asked.

"My Grandma made this for the guests at their motel along the mother road," Éponine explained as she sliced a carrot, "a way to wish the visitors safe a healthy travels, and I figured every once and awhile we could do with her blessing, even if it is summer," she finished her explanation. "Like I said, it won't be ready for three days, so no touching it until then!" she turned to Chris, "especially you, if I catch you skimming it off the top a-"

"You have my word as a federal agent!" Chris replied, "anyone got a bible I can swear on?"

Éponine shook a small handful of black pepper in her hand and blew it at his face causing him to sneeze fiercely.

"Okay! Okay! I swear I won't touch the soup!" Chris replied after he was done sneezing.

"Good boy," Éponine smirked, "you know what 'Chetta, I'm beginning to see how just how our numbered we are!"

"Outnumbered?" 'Chetta grinned, "I can hardly say outnumbered, to me the women to men ratios are looking pretty good!"

"But let it be known, Alex, dating in house is not always wise," Tony warned.

Alex's face flushed slightly, was it possible that Tony knew of his feelings for 'Ponine?

'Chetta leaned on her elbows and looked at Tony, "But what about that time that R and 'Ponine hook-"

"We are not talking about that!" Éponine spoke up loudly hoping she drowned out Musichetta, "we were both very drunk."

"Wait, you two hooked up?" Chris laughed.

"Was that supposed to be a secret?" 'Chetta blushed.

"Not anymore kid, thanks," Grantaire sighed, "it was once and it hasn't happened since, alright?"

Everyone settled back into what they had been doing before the awkward topic had been brought up and a silence fell. It didn't last long because soon Grantaire's phone started ringing, he answered it.

"Hello? Brujon?" Grantaire spoke into the phone, "a meeting? When? Alright, tomorrow, we'll be there." He hung up his phone and turned to Alex, "We have another meeting with Brujon tomorrow."

"You don't think he's going to try and kill us this time, do you?" Alex asked.

"This one seems legit, but we aren't going in unarmed just in case, after all we are on his good side now," Grantaire smiled.  
xxxxxxxxxxxx  
When Alex got ready for his meeting with Brujon, Grantaire stopped by to give him a bullet proof vest, "Just in case," he had nodded, "and remember keep your gun visible to him at all times, just to show you aren't afraid, do you understand?"

"I've got it R," Alex replied as he pulled on his holster followed by his jacket, "so where are we meeting them?"

The meeting point turned out be inside a nice restaurant, they walked in and found Brujon sitting there while looking calm cool and collected. Jondrette on the other hand did not look well, he did not look up from the table when they sat down and Alex noticed he appeared to have a patch over his right eye.

"Pleased that the two of you could make it," Brujon nodded, "we have some things to discuss that are important."

Alex sat down making sure that Brujon could clearly see the strap belonging to his holster.

"Specifically with you Alex," Brujon nodded towards Alex, "as a Marine you certainly must know what WQB is?"

"WQB?" Alex spoke up as he felt himself breaking out into a cold sweat, he desperately racked his brain trying to figure it out.

Jondrette looked up and smiled smugly, "A marine who doesn't know what a WQB is? Perhaps he is not a Marine at all!"

"You do know, don't you?" Brujon's voice sinister, "because if you don't then we will just have to-"

"Do you mean a Pizza Box?" Alex cut him off and smiled.

"A Pizza Box?" Brujon's face now bore an expression of confusion.

"It's what we call a WQB," Alex explained smiling, "the lowest qualification is called a Pizza Box, we don't say WQB outside of training."

"I see," Brujon scratched his cheek, but Jondrette seemed to be fuming, "well I would like my men to know how to shoot, and I mean properly, I want you to train them, train them so well that it would be like they earned this Pizza Box you speak of."

"Very well sir," Alex nodded as he watched Grantaire lean back in his chair.

Brujon smirked, "Gentleman, that is all we needed to discuss today, oh and Alex?"

"Yes sir?"

"You start tomorrow," Brujon replied.

Alex nodded and walked out of the restaurant with Grantaire out to his car. Then Alex let loose his pent up feelings, "What the hell am I going to do?"

"Simple," Grantaire replied, "you stall them, keep them going at a slow and snail like pace, and we will figure something else out in the mean time, alright?"

"Right," Alex nodded, "we'll figure something out."  
xxxxxx  
They came to back to Graceland to find Éponine painting 'Chetta's fingernails, "Chris step away from the stove!" Éponine hollered.

"Goddamnit Thenardier!" Chris replied.

"It's like you have RADAR or something," 'Chetta laughed.

The front door slammed shut as Alex and Grantaire came inside.

"Back already?" Éponine called to them.

"Yep, it seems Alex is moving up in the world and can do things without his training officer," Grantaire called.

"It was Brujon that made the deal, not me!" Alex cut in.

"Uh oh... Is there a rift between you two?" Éponine finished with 'Chetta's nails.

"I don't know what his problem is," Alex nodded towards Grantaire.

"Quarterback syndrome?" 'Chetta piped in.

"What stupid shit are you spouting now?" Grantaire groaned.

"This was a psychological idea I was talking about with Joly," 'Chetta explained.

"Your latest boy toy?" Grantaire rolled his eyes.

"You just like to be the one making the decisions and calling all the shots!" 'Chetta smirked, "and now that Alex has the chance to do it for himself perhaps you are a little jealous?"

"'Chetta, can we not talk about this now?" Grantaire asked.

"Alright, I'll lay off," 'Chetta turned back to Éponine.

Grantaire sighed and turned to Alex, "Alright, I'm sorry for being an ass, now lets get you prepped so you don't screw up, because I won't be there to save you tomorrow."  
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Alex came to the junkyard with the plan he had worked up to keep them going at a slow pace that hopefully wouldn't be obvious. He only hoped that he could get Brujon to agree with his idea of "proper training", if he didn't god only knows what would happen. He came up to the gate and was let inside easily, he wound the bend that led to the "shooting range" where Brujon, Jondrette and their men had been waiting for him.

"My men are ready to begin with your instruction," Brujon smiled.

"We can't begin with shooting right away," Alex spoke plainly.

"We can't?" Brujon looked at him incredulously, "and why not?"

"Well, whenever you use a firearm there are man risks, you should be made aware of these risks in order to prevent them," Alex spoke calmly.

"What is this bullshit?" Jondrette grumbled.

"Shut up you fool," Brujon snapped at Jondrette.

"For one you could get clipped when you load the gun," Alex began listing off everything that could happen if a gun was not cared for, "and no one wants any of that to happen, do you see? I think we would all like to keep out fingers," he finished with a smile.

"This is ridiculous," Jondrette grumbled.

"Then perhaps we should use you for target practice my friend?" Brujon glared at him, Jondrette immediately went quiet, "I see, this is very important, Alex please continue with your instruction, I have some personal matters to discuss with Al."

"Yes sir," Alex nodded and proceeded to dismantle his gun his gun in about five seconds, "until you master this skill we cannot shoot, you must understand how a gun works before you fire it!"

A couple of hours later Brujon came to dismiss them, "How are they doing?"

"Very well," Alex nodded, "at this rate they will be shooting in no time."

"I may not agree with your methods," Brujon sighed, "but if it brings results I will be happy, but if I ask it of you I may require them to be ready sooner."

"Yes sir," Alex nodded again.

"Goodnight then," Brujon replied, the two men shook hands and Alex walked out of the junkyard, just as he was about to about to enter his car he was tackled to the ground. Albert Jondrette stood above him with his gun poised at Alex's forehead.

"Who the hell are you? I know you are no military man! Are you a fed?" Jondrette rambled, "who are you?" Alex just stared him down defiantly.

"Won't talk?" Jondrette smirked, "I think we can fix that," he pried Alex's mouth open and put his gun in.

Alex's heart rate jumped as he tried to figure out what he was going to do next to stay alive, Quantico never prepared him for something like this.

"Talk goddamnit! Or I'll pull the trigger!" Jondrette shouted.

Alex found his moment, he positioned his arms to push Jondrette off of him, he disarmed him and now had him pinned under his knee, "I think it's only fair you know who you're dealing with," Alex's voice was cold. He took Jondrette's gun in his hand and dismantled it so that it was now rendered useless. He got off of the older man leaving him on the ground, he got into his car and drove away, once on the highway he called Grantaire.

"R you're not gonna believe it, Jondrette attacked me," Alex explained to his roommate.

"What for?" Grantaire asked.

"He knows I'm not a Marine, or at least he suspects it," Alex panted, "this is bad, isn't it?"

"Yeah, he could easily go back to Brujon and say something and we wouldn't know," Grantaire replied, "we're gonna bring him in for attacking you, and we'll work out how to get him out of the way of our plans, just come straight to the station."

Alex did as he was told and he drove to the station in downtown LA, he was soon met by Grantaire and 'Chetta and they explained their plan.

"Offer him a way out of Brujons gang, a chance to disappear in the form of a one way bus ticket to Arizona," Grantaire explained.

"You think he'll take it?" Alex asked.

"He seems to have lost his place as Brujon's right hand man, he probably would like to get out if he values his life," Grantaire replied.

When Jondrette was brought in about a half hour later the had Musichetta go in and start talking with him, offering him the bus ticket, his one chance at freedom from Brujon.

"So why is 'Chetta with you? Where are 'Ponine and Tony?" Alex asked as they watched from behind the glass.

"Tony is out and 'Ponine," Grantaire paused as he remembered the promise he made to his fellow agent, "'Ponine is tending to her soup, 'Chetta said she was bored so I let her come along."

Alex watched as the hesitant Jondrette decided he would take their offer and disappear to Arizona.

"Your ticket will be ready for you to leave tomorrow" 'Chetta explained before leaving Jondrette and coming in to where Alex and Grantaire where waiting, "surprisingly easy and painless," she smiled, "he won't be troubling us for much longer."  
xxxxxxxxx

It was finally ready, Éponine's soup that she had been slaving over for the last three days was ready, there was a heavy feeling of excitement amongst all the occupants of the house.

"I even made fresh bread to go with it," Éponine pulled the loaf from the oven and put it on a cooling rack. She then began to pull out some bowls and was ladling soup into each one.

Alex's phone beeped telling him he had a new text message, he looked down at the screen, "Brujon wants me now."

"That's a bit early isn't it?" Grantaire asked as he ripped off a piece of bread.

"Very early," Alex replied, "I think something is up."

"I can cover you just in case, it would be best if need be it's someone that Brujon's men will recognize," Grantaire explained, he then turned to Éponine, "sorry 'Ponine."

"Your loss," she shrugged.

Alex and Grantaire jumped into the car and started making the somewhat long drive out to Brujon's junkyard. Grantaire stopped the car outside the junkyard and Alex got out of the car, "good luck kid, don't worry I'll keep close watch on you."

Alex walked into the junkyard, he was soon surrounded by Brujon's men who were armed.

"Sorry this has to be your welcome tonight," Brujon spoke with a sigh, "but I have heard tail you are a federal agent, is this true?"

"No sir," Alex replied.

"Really? Jondrette tells me otherwise," Brujon began to circle around Alex like a vulture who has caught it's prey. "But then I must ask who is the traitor here?" Brujon turned on to Jondrette who paled. "I heard you are trying to flee us Al, heading to Arizona I believe?"

"No," Jondrette stammered, "it's-it's not true! You know I would never betray you!" Jondrette swiftly withdrew his gun pointed it at Alex, "It's him!" He stepped towards, "he is lying to you! He's betrayed you!"

"If that is true, do what you must," Brujon gestured carelessly to Alex.

Jondrette kept his gun pointed to Alex with his finger on the trigger, slowly he lowered his arm, "I hope my baby girl still loves me," he muttered before raising his gun again. This time instead of aiming it at Alex he slowly put the tip of it into his own mouth.

"No, no don't do it!" Alex began to shout, but Jondrette had made up his mind and the trigger had been pulled. The sound echoed off the surrounding area and Alex felt as if he couldn't hear for a few seconds, when his hearing came back he took in the scene before him. Jondrette lay on the ground dead, the gun still gripped tightly in his hand and blood was pooling around his head.

"You may go," Brujon waved him off with a flick of his wrist, "I never believed him for a moment."

Alex slowly walked away and out of the junkyard where he was met by Grantaire, "I heard a gunshot, are you alright."

"Y-yeah I'm fine," Alex had broken out in a cold sweat and his skin was clammy, "it's J-Jondrette, he's dead."

"Okay man, let's get you out of here," Grantaire led him to the car, they drove back to Graceland in silence. Alex slowly walked inside to discover that it appeared no one else was around.

"I think you should get some sleep," Grantaire suggested, "that's what I'm going to do anyway," slowly he walked upstairs and disappeared into his room.

Alex just sighed and sat down on the couch, he then heard some shuffling and he turned around to see Éponine coming out of the kitchen holding two beers and a steaming bowl of soup. "I saved you some," Éponine gently set the bowl on the coffee table. It took her a moment to register the look of pain on his face, "Are you alright? Did something happen?"

"I'm okay 'Ponine," Alex lied, on the inside he was still playing over the events that lead to Jondrette's death.

"You sure? Seems like something's bothering you," Éponine popped the lid off of her beer, "I've always found it better to talk out your problems instead of bottling them up," she raised the beer to her lips.

"A man killed himself tonight," Alex began, "one of Brujon's men, his name was Jondrette."

All of a sudden Éponine seemed to chocke on her beer, "What?!" she gasped.

"He shot himself," Alex was just letting the words flow from his lips now, "and before he did he said sonething really strange," he paused, "said something like 'I hope my baby girl still loves me.'"

Éponine put her beer down and turned away from him in an attempt to hide her tears.

Alex looked up at her, "'Ponine are you alright? God, I shouldn't have told you about that-"

"It's not your fault," Éponine sniffled slightly, "it's just, well it's hard to explain."

Alex was confused by her sudden change in behavior, "What do you mean? What does this have to do with Jondrette?"

"Hang on," Éponine got up from the couch, took a breath and wiped away her tears, she then walked over to the bookshelf. Behind a few large volumes tucked in back was a photo album, "I hid this from myself and everyone else." She opened it to the first page where there was a picture of a young family, a husband, wife and two children, both girls.

As Alex looked at the picture he realized he recognized the man's face as belonging to Jondrette, "'Ponine, what does this mean?" Alex asked.

"What it means," Éponine inhaled, "is that Jondrette was my father."

"Your father?" Alex turned to her, "does anyone else know?"

"Not really, R only knows that he was my father, it's just a part of my past that I would like to forget," Éponine pushed her hair away from her face.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, "What happened?"

"It was a long time ago, it doesn't really matter," Éponine took another sip of beer, "besides it's really just one big sob story that you don't need to hear."

"I'll listen," Alex turned to her, "I have nothing else to do and I certainly don't feel like sleeping."

Éponine placed her bottle on the coffee table and thought about it for a moment, "Oh alright, but if it you don't want to hear anymore let me know and I'll stop," she scratched her head lightly, "so where do I begin? Well... Okay then, my family had a road side motel that was built along side of Route 66 not too far out of LA." Éponine could clearly picture the motel with it's neon sign flickering and sun bleached paint. "My grandfather had started it back when people actually traveled to look at the scenery, and we had a good life there, of course with the highways and interstates we never had hundreds of people flocking there like in the Grandpa's day, but we did well enough." Memories crashed down onto Éponine like a storm, she could see herself running with Azelma running up and down the stairs and playing in the back.

"One day I remember we had to take my mother to the hospital, she had gotten very sick, I was about ten at the time," Éponine recalled, "I don't know what was wrong with her but within three weeks she died in the hospital and my father went crazy with grief, he no longer cared about anything, not me and my siblings or the motel, soon we had to close it for good and we moved to southern LA where he bounced from job to job and we could never make ends meet," Éponine remembered the first time Brujon had come to their house to talk "business" with her father. "He got involved with Patron-Minette and I started seeing him less and less, he would disappear for days or weeks at a time and so I took over taking care of my siblings Azelma and Gavroche, we lived like that for awhile, then one time I hadn't scene him in about a month, I was now fourteen..."

Éponine's voice got caught in her throat, this was a difficult subject for her to talk about, "'Zelma and I were walking to go pick Gavroche up from school, there were these cars chasing each other, firing guns." She could remember the smell of burning rubber and when a bullet ricocheted and smashed the store front window that Éponine and Azelma had been standing in front of. "'Zelma ran, she was scared, I followed her to stop her, those cars just kept shooting at each other... I remember Azelma falling and then a sharp burning pain." She could clearly recall the moment when she had put her hand to her side and when she pulled it away it was covered in blood. "I just held onto Azelma, I told her everything would be alright," Éponine started to cry once again, "then I blacked out, when I woke up I was in a hospital and they told me that Azelma had died, they asked about my family, I lied and said that the only person I had left was my brother and that I wouldn't go anywhere without him."

Éponine paused with her story and wiped and her eyes, "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay," Alex put his arm around her, "I think you just needed someone to talk to."

Éponine grabbed a tissue and blew her nose, "Okay, so they called child services and when I was released from the hospital they took me and Gavroche back to the house to collect our things and brought us to a foster family," Éponine smiled slightly, "they were very kind people who after two years decided to adopt us as their own, I never thought that I would here from my father or Patron-Minette again." She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, "Congrats, you now know all the secrets of Éponine Thenardier."


	7. Chapter 7

Alex and Éponine had fallen asleep together on the couch, but he had been jolted awake by an awful nightmare about Jondrette. It calmed him to see Éponine curled up against him and he sighed, slowly he moved her off of him, then carefully picking her up so he wouldn't disturb her, he took her back to her room. After carefully shutting the door he dragged his feet to his room and fell into a deep sleep.

Late the next morning Tony peered into Alex's room to see him still in his clothes and passed out cold. A mischievous smile spread across his face as he tiptoed into the room, then climbing onto the bed he stood up and began to jump, "Yo Alex wake up!"

"Go away Tony," Alex muttered not even bothering to open his eyes.

"Come on buddy boy, get your ass out of bed!" Tony laughed as he continued to jump on the bed.

Alex slowly sat up, "Why? Nothing's going on today."

"Wrong," Tony smiled, "we are going to play football on the beach, you me and 'Chetta."

"Football on the beach?" Alex asked, "why do I care about football on the beach?"

"Because 'Chetta has a new bikini!" Tony winked.

"That might be reason enough for you to play football on the beach," Alex replied, "but I really don't care."

"Hmmm..." Tony pondered, "would that be because you have a thing for 'Ponine?"

"What are you talking about?" Alex replied but he knew his face was turning red.

"Saw the two of you asleep on the couch last night," Tony smiled, "please tell me that followed a particularly steamy make out session."

"You are worse than a middle school girl," Alex huffed.

"So it did follow a particularly steamy make out session?" Tony repeated.

"No," Alex glared at him, "it didn't, we were just talking."

"Right," Tony nodded, "any way we are still playing football on the beach and I'm gonna stay here till you get dressed and we'll go!"

"You aren't gonna leave me alone, are you?" Alex sighed.

"Course not," Tony grinned, "now let's go!"

Alex grumbled and got out of bed, he also made an attempt to push the prior nights events from his mind. He got dressed and went out, sure enough Tony and 'Chetta were waiting for him.

"Come on East Coast!" 'Chetta teased, "show us how it's done!"

Alex couldn't help but smile, he took the ball and threw it in Musichetta's direction, she jumped to grab it and fell back down into the sand laughing. They continued running and tossing the ball around for about an hour. Soon Tony realized it was more fun to tackle his friends then play the game and they all ended on the ground covered in sand.

"Shit," 'Chetta commented as she dusted sand out of her long blonde hair, "Chris and R will kill us if we track sand into the house."

"I say screw 'em," Tony replied smiling as he deliberately began to track sand through the house.

Alex on the other hand rinsed his feet off under a spigot before going inside to shower. He walked past R's room and over heard a strange conversation.

"There you go, find the vein," Grantaire instructed.

"R, I know how to do this," Éponine replied.

Alex's curiosity got the best of him and he peered in, and what he witnessed shocked him for a moment. Éponine sat with a tourniquet around her arm and was injecting herself with a hypodermic needle, the look on her face seemed one of bliss as she removed the needle.

"Nice job 'Ponine, but not enough 'O-mouth'," Grantaire nodded.

Éponine immediately snapped back as if nothing happened, "Screw it!"

"What was that?" Alex asked his eyes wide, "didn't you just..."

"That wasn't real H," Éponine smiled, "it's hemaglobin, it looks, cooks and smells the same as Heroine."

Alex still didn't understand what he had just seen, "But why? What does it-"

"It doesn't do anything," Grantaire replied, "it just helps provide a good cover, which we need on our meeting today."

"They expect you to shoot up?" Alex asked.

"Probably," Éponine nodded, "wouldn't mind if I didn't have to use real needles but c'est la vie."

"Alex you are more than welcome to join us," Grantaire turned to him and held out a small baggy containing hemoglobin, "although you might want to practice first."

"I would love to," Alex nodded, "but I have an appointment with the shrink today."

"You're no fun," Éponine teased, "where is your sense of adventure?"

"I think he's made a wise decision," Grantaire smiled, "who likes third wheeling?"

"Amen brother!" Éponine laughed, "had enough of that what I had to go out with Marius and Cosette as the stoner best friend!"

"Those days were fun weren't they?" Grantaire smiled.

"Maybe for you, not for me," Éponine wrinkled her nose, "I smelled like someone had dumped an entire bottle of five dollar perfume on me and I was all about 'living in the present man'," she rolled her eyes.

" Well good luck with your meeting," Alex smiled at Éponine, "I've gotta go."

"See ya kid," Grantaire gave him a mock salute, when Alex left the room Grantaire turned to Éponine, "you know what, I think that kid is sweet on you!" he smiled.

"Alex?" Éponine scoffed, "you're either drunk or crazy, maybe even both."

"I've seen the way he looks at you," Grantaire smiled, "I've also seen the way you look at him."

Éponine went pale, "I'm afraid I don't understand-"

"Oh I think you do," Grantaire waggled his eyebrows.

"But I can't!" Éponine exclaimed, "he's just a kid!"

"You do know it's only a two year age difference between you," Grantaire replied calmly, "not exactly robbing the cradle, the lucky bastard just happens to look like he's nineteen, certainly better than the what is it seven years between you at me?"

"R, you aren't helping," Éponine growled.

"All I'm saying is that there is nothing wrong," Grantaire replied, "if you like him that way then go for it!"

Éponine looked up at R, "Why are you doing this?"

Grantaire sighed, "I think it's about time you had someone who truly loves you."

Éponine groaned, "But it goes against everything! Joining the bureau basically means you give up any form of a real relationship!"

"'Ponine, chill," Grantaire put a hand on her shoulder, "I know this is hard for you, but who knows? It might work."

"Whatever," Éponine grumbled, "let's just drop it for now, besides we've gotta go meet Montparnasse."

"Yes mi'lady," Grantaire smirked.

"Shut up," Éponine turned on her heel and walked away.  
xxxxxxxx  
This time Henri had the courtesy of bringing coffee for himself and for Alex, "You seem awfully quiet today, did something happen?"

"You could say that," Alex replied as he sipped his coffee.

"Would you mind sharing?" Henri prodded.

"Sure," Alex nodded, "but first you need to tell me why I'm investigating Ben Grantaire."

Henri sighed, "It's a difficult subject, I thought we went over this already?"

"We did," Alex replied, "but so far I've gotten nothing but a front row seat to a man committing suicide, who is-" Alex stopped himself from telling Henri about Éponine's secret.

"Suicide? That's tough," Henri sighed.

"So can you tell me more about this damn investigation?" Alex asked, "or not?"  
xxxxxx  
Éponine and Grantaire calmly entered Montparnasse's house and sat down on a couch in the smoke filled living room. A few minutes later Montparnasse entered and sat down across from them, "Good to see you two," he smiled at them.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Éponine leaned back casually, "you know why we're here."

"I know Cassie," Montparnasse replied, "but what you ask of me is quiet difficult, a meeting with Claqesous?"

"Exactly," Éponine smiled, "you seem to be the only one who truly knows him, that's why we asked you 'Parnasse."

"Well I'm better than the rest of those low life dealer scum," Montparnasse replied. There was a knock at the door, "I'll be right back."

"Good job stoking his ego," Grantaire whispered to her but Éponine was watching who was entering the house.

"Shit," Éponine hissed.

"What's wrong?" Grantaire asked.

"Former CI just walked in," Éponine explained hastily, "I had to cut him off last week, couldn't be trusted." She watched as they walked into the house, Éponine quickly leaned over and kissed Grantaire in an attempt to hide their faces as Monparnasse and Éponine's ex-CI walked past. Once they departed Éponine broke away from him,"Sorry," she muttered, "now let's get out of here, please?"

"Alright, we'll go but you could be blowing our chance with Parnasse," Grantaire hissed as they got up and left.  
xxxxxxx  
"What do you have against Benjamin Grantaire?" Alex continued to press, "because I can't find anything."

Henri sighed, "Alright, it seems to be that whenever there is a case that involves Agent Grantaire we always come up with less than predicted, specifically drugs."

"What?!" Alex's eyes widened, "so it was never about money to begin with, you want me to nail him for drugs?"

Henri nodded quietly, "I know it's a lot to ask for but it is your assignment."

Alex pressed his lips into a thin line, of course Grantaire's ways were unorthodox but he had seen nothing that even remotely indicated drug use. Then could he be stealing it to sell to suppliers or dealers? He shook his head, he needed to think with a clear mind, perhaps he wasn't stealing drugs and this was all a misunderstanding on the part of the bureau.

"I want to see this documentation before I do anything further," Alex decided.

"I knew you were going to say that," Henri sighed, he reached into his briefcase and pulled out a couple of case files for Alex to look at. It only took him a moment to skim the documented numbers to realize what Henri was saying was true, but this didn't alter the respect he had for his training officer.  
xxxxxxxx  
'Chetta was talking with Tony as they flipped through the channels, "Wait don't skip the Food Network! Chopped is on!"

Tony sighed and put the remote down, the door slammed shut as Éponine and R walked an.

"Damn," Tony whispered, "can't you feel the raging hormones coming off of those two?"

"What are you talking about?" 'Chetta whispered back as she glanced over her shoulder, "oh..." 'Chetta grinned, "think they'll hook up?"

"And risk their friendship?" Tony turned to her, "they wouldn't do that."

"You pointed out the tension," 'Chetta reminded him, "besides they did it once."

"And how long ago was that?" Tony asked.

"Two years ago, give or take," 'Chetta shrugged.

"You mean when she first came to Graceland?" Tony raised an eyebrow.

"So?" 'Chetta replied.

"It's not gonna happen," Tony shook his head.

"Wanna bet on it?" 'Chetta grinned and held out her hand for him to shake.

"Alright," Tony shook her hand, "they have a week and loser buys drinks at the Musain."

"Deal," 'Chetta nodded as Éponine walked into the room.

"What are you two doing?" Éponine asked as she leaned against the doorframe.

"Nothing!" 'Chetta replied hastily.

"I don't know what's worse," Éponine sighed, "when you two are scheming or when you aren't."

"'Ponine, I swear, we aren't scheming," 'Chetta replied.

"Uh huh," Éponine nodded, "sure, let's go with that."

Alex walked through the door with a dark expression on his face that he seemed to be trying to hide.

"Hey Levi, how did the head shrinkage go?" Tony called.

Alex looked up barely, "It was fine," he replied.

"You don't look fine," Tony replied, "sit with us, I'll get some beers."

"Nah, gotta work on the Brujon case," Alex replied, "if you see R can you send him my way?"

"Sure thing," Éponine nodded to him, "have fun."

Alex said nothing, instead he just walked up the stairs to his room.

"Poor kid," Éponine sighed, her heart went out to him, "these past twenty four hours haven't been kind."

Grantaire walked back into the house, "R!" Tony called, "Levi is looking for you! He's upstairs."

"Got it man, I'll see what's up," Grantaire replied as he walked up the stairs to find Alex, he saw the rookie agent sitting on the bed.

"So I've been sent to you, what's up?" Grantaire folded his arms across his chest.

"I've been thinking about Brujon, and what my next move should be," Alex replied, his chest tightened as he lied to his training officer. He already had a plan, he was just following the bureau's orders in an attempt to catch Grantaire in the act of stealing drugs. It would not be an easy process, but considering that Patron-Minette did a lot with drugs who could say the opportunity wouldn't present itself?

"Seeing as things are going to be thrown about cause Jondrette is dead, this is good for you," Grantaire replied.

Alex nodded his head, but his heart sank that the death of the father of one of his fellow agents would be used in such a matter.

"Brujon trusts you to some extent, if you can get closer to him then you might learn his secrets," Grantaire smiled, "so got any idea on how to get close to him?"

"Remember when we were at the warehouse?" Alex asked, "I think he said 'today is not a good day to die', I thought I'd heard it before and I looked it up," he paused, "Brujon likes Western Movies."

Grantaire smiled, "We'll that would explain why Chris was complaining about the fact that John Wayne had taken over our DVR."

"Sorry about that," Alex muttered.

"Whatever," Grantaire shrugged, "you've got something on Brujon that could bring you closer, after all, with what happened to Jondrette he might be in the market for a body guard." He clapped Alex on the shoulder and walked out of the room.

Alex sighed, this had already been his plan, in a way it was as if he was setting trap for both Grantaire and Brujon and it didn't sit right with him. He wished he could trust his training officer, and there was no denying that R was intelligent and knew what he was doing, but if he was dealing there would be trouble. All Alex could do was hope that all his information would come up negative and he would only have to take down Brujon.  
xxxxx  
"So 'Ponine, I worked it out with 'Parnasse," Grantaire called out to his fellow agent as he poured himself a shot of whiskey. "You, me, and Tony are going to meet with him and Claqesous at a hotel and make our deal there."

"Sounds good, but I guess that means I'm stuck in a room with you all night?" Éponine smiled.

'Chetta let out a low wolf whistle and Tony poked her in her ribs.

"Knock it off you two," Éponine turned to her friends who were offering her their most innocent looks. Éponine turned to Grantaire, "When is this going down?"

"Tonight," Grantaire smiled.

"Where do I come into the picture?" Tony asked.

"A sort of look out," Grantaire explained, "we'll get you a uniform and set you up as a parking valet, you'll have a transmitter to 'Ponine and I." Grantaire looked down at his watch, "We only have a couple of hours before we need to head out, we should get ready."

Tony and Éponine got up and walked of the room, Grantaire was about to do the same but he turned to Alex. "When you seeing Brujon next?" Grantaire asked.

"Tonight, still gotta teach him men to shoot," Alex replied.

"Good luck out there man," Grantaire nodded before getting up.

"Does this mean I'm doomed to a quiet evening at home?" 'Chetta complained.

"I guess so 'Chetta," Alex sighed, "got no leads on anything yet?"

"Just a small time dealer who doubles as a DJ," 'Chetta sighed, "you guys get to go after the big fish, lucky you."  
xxxxxxxx  
That night Grantaire and Éponine were dressed as their covers Paul and Cassie respectively. Tony was wearing the proper valet uniform and they were driving to a nice hotel on the edge of the city. Grantaire was fiddling with the watch transmitter making sure that it worked properly as they pulled into the parking lot. Tony took his place outside while Éponine and Grantaire checked into their room. They went upstairs and began to wait for Montparnasse and Claqesous to arrive. They were sitting on the couch and Éponine sighed as they sat together in silence waiting for Montparnasse.

Tony's voice crackled as he came in over the transmitter, "Parnasse and Claqesous have just pulled into the parking lot."

"Can you see Claqesous yet?" Éponine asked.

"Not yet," Tony replied, "I'll keep you posted."

The time had come, they were going to meet this ghost of a drug supplier, someone they had been chasing for a long time now.

"Hello sir," Tony's voice came in over the transmitter.

"I don't know you," Montparnasse, "and neither does Claqesous, where is Joey?"

"Joey? He's off for a couple of days, his mother is sick so I'm filling in for-"

"I know every valet here and you are not one of them!" Montparnasse snapped.

"I'm new, just got the job," Tony cut in, "you don't mean you aren't going to come in just because you don't know me, do you?"

"Actually yes," Montparnasse retorted and walked back to the car, they could hear the door slam shut and the motor start as the car drove off.

"Shit," Tony grumbled into the transmitter, "now what?"

"I guess we make another meeting with 'Parnasse," Grantaire sighed. Éponine folded her arms across her chest and they say in silence.

"What's up 'Ponine?" Grantaire asked.

"What do you mean what's up?" Éponine turned to him, "nothing is up R."

"Okay," Grantaire shrugged.

"Actually that's not true," Éponine added, "I've just been thinking-"

"Uh oh, that's not good," Grantaire smirked.

"Fine if you're going to be like that," Éponine raised her hands, "I won't tell you."

"Sorry 'Ponine," Grantaire offered an apology.

"Apology accepted," Éponine replied but her voice sounded stiff.

"So what were you going to tell me?" Grantaire asked.

"I was just thinking about when 'Chetta mentioned... You know..." Éponine blushed slightly, "god, I had the biggest crush on Marius when I first got to Graceland, but you were a close second," she admitted, "how did it even happen?"

"If I recall correctly we were both drunk and in the morning when you woke up in my room you ran out and didn't speak to me for a week," Grantaire replied.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that," Éponine spoke sheepishly, "but why me in the first place?"

Grantaire smiled, "For starters you are sexy as hell, you have a great personality," he paused, "let's just say there is no downside to you 'Ponine."

Éponine smiled and something in her heart stirred like from the first time she had gotten with Grantaire, and funny enough she was sober. Their eyes locked and she could practically feel the passion radiating off of him, she smiled, "Turn off that damn watch," she whispered.

Without saying a word Grantaire did as he was told and it was as if a string had been cut. She leaned in to kiss him and it started to get heated quickly, he had his hands on her waist and was slowly sliding them up her back when she pushed him back.

"I can't do this," Éponine huffed, her face was a bright shade of red, "no, no, I'm sick and tired of one night stands and random hookups.."

Grantaire sighed, "Me too."

"So do you mean?" Éponine hesitated.

"I like you and all, you are a great girl, but I think you and I are too screwed up to be together," Grantaire grinned.

Éponine laughed, "Ain't that the truth!"

"You still thinking about Alex maybe?" Grantaire suggested, "I know he likes you."

"We've had this discussion," Éponine replied with a warning tone, "it's not gonna happen."

"Whatever you say," Grantaire shrugged.

Éponine started laughing again as she flopped down on the couch running a hand through her now mussed hair. "God only knows what Tony is thinking down there..."

Grantaire smiled, "Why don't we give him what he wants?"

"What do you mean?" Éponine asked as she sat back up.

Grantaire picked up the remote and started flicking through to the pay-perview movies. "Just saying we have some fun on the expense of the bureau," he smiled, took off his watch and placed it next to the TV. "There," he hit play and a romance movie that bordered on pornographic started playing, Grantaire skipped the beginning to a more 'sensual' scene and he turned the watch on. He then sat back down next to Éponine and winked at her as she stared at him in shock.

"Why did you do that?" Éponine asked.

"Chris told me that Tony and 'Chetta made bets on whether or not you and I would hook up this week," Grantaire explained.

"I knew it! I knew those two were up to something!" Éponine exclaimed.

"And I think this will make Tony lose the bet," Grantaire chuckled.

xxxxxxx  
Across town in a junkyard Alex stood next to Brujon observing as the men began to practice shooting their guns.

"They are doing well," Brujon nodded as he watched.

"A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that." Alex replied calmly and with a smile.

Brujon turned to Alex with his eyebrows raised, "You've see 'Shane'?"

"Of course," Alex nodded, "one of the best Western films out there, sure it doesn't have the Duke but it's great nonetheless," he silent thanked the Internet for the information he had gleaned.

"'Shane' is good," Brujon replied, "but have you ever seen 'True Grit'? I mean the original one."

Alex chose his words carefully, "I think that just might be one I haven't."

"Then there is a flaw in your education of the good Wild West films," Brujon smiled. "When we are done here for tonight it will be my priority to change that."

"Yes sir," Alex replied.

"Now your training with my men is good," Brujon nodded, "but it is taking to long, I want it to be done at a faster rate."

"Any reason as to why, sir?" Alex asked.

Brujon sighed, "Simple really, those we are going to go up against are not that good either, can't have too much of an advantage," he chuckled, "do you understand, Alex?"

"Yes sir," Alex replied.

"Good, very good," Brujon nodded, "I have some matters to attend to, I want you to wrap up tonight in about fifteen minutes."

"Right," Alex nodded, "I understand."

Brujon disappeared from view, Alex instructed the men to reload their weapons one last time. Then he went to each of them and corrected their stances before letting them fire their last rounds, as he did this he had to keep reminding himself that he wasn't the bad guy, telling himself that he wasn't training gang members and druggies to shoot with military like precision.

"Well done everyone," Alex clapped his hands together, "you know the drill, I'll see you tomorrow."

It was then that Brujon reappeared, "Alex, let's go, we'll take your car."

Alex led Brujon to his car and let him in before getting in on the driver's side, he put the key in the ignition as the motor roared to life. "Where to?" Alex asked.

"Just drive, I'll give you directions," Brujon flicked his wrist carelessly.

Alex started driving down the quiet path that led from the junkyard and followed Brujon's instructions and came to a stop in front of an electronics store.

"Let's go," Brujon got out of the car and Alex obediently followed him, once inside Brujon led him over to the DVD's and once he made his selection he showed to Alex. "'True Grit' with John Wayne, the good version," he smiled.

"I see," Alex nodded, "can't believe I've never seen it."

"Let's see if they can play it on one of the screens here," Brujon decided as they walked to the other department. "How about this one?" Brujon decided, "good quality, great picture..." He turned to flag down one of the late night sales associates.

"How may I help you?" The man asked.

"Can you put this up on the screen here," Brujon asked.

"Uhh sir, I'm afraid we can't-"

"And why not?" Brujon's eyes narrowed.

"It's against policy, you haven't purchased the DVD-"

"I suggest you do what he asks," Alex spoke up forcefully, inside his nerves were becoming tense as realized exactly where this was headed.

The sales clerk tried to maintain composure, "I'm sorry sir, but this is against store-"

Alex reached out and grasped his shirt collar firmly, his eyes appeared to turn to ice as he stared the clerk down. "Do what he asks, or you will have to deal with me, understand?"

The clerk nodded feebly as Alex let go of his shirt, Alex smiled but inside he felt like a horrible person.

The clerk played the disk for them on the TV screen and when he was done viewing the quality of the DVD Brujonpaid and left with Alex. He directed Alex to his penthouse apartment in the city and became engrossed into the film.

"You know Alex, what you did back there was pretty good," Brujon commented offhandedly.

This was his chance to make a move, "Thank you sir, just doing my duty," Alex replied with a smile.

"Duty? What do you mean duty?" Brujon asked.

Alex sighed, "I've been thinking that you need someone to protect you, you are in a tough line of business."

"I see," Brujon nodded, "where are you headed with this?"

"Just saying," Alex paused, "you need a body guard, and I will do the job."

"You?" Brujon snorted and then looked Alex up and down, "That might not be such a bad idea," he held out his hand, "you have the job."

Alex smiled when Brujon's phone started to ring, "excuse me for a second," he picked up his phone and took it outside with him onto the balcony where he shut the door.

Alex wasted no time, he sent a text message to Grantaire explaining his new position with Brujon and went to search his office. Once in there he carefully shifted through papers of hoping to uncover anything at all, but the only thing that was strange was a sticky note that read "Bigfoot". Alex pulled out his phone and snapped a picture and sent it to Grantaire to see what he knew. He gave the office a quick once over before returning to the couch where not even twenty seconds later Brujon returned and sat down beside him.  
xxxxxxx  
During the last hour Grantaire had been receiving a series of text messages, after reviewing the ones from Alex he woke up Éponine who had fallen asleep.

"Why did you wake me up?" Éponine grumbled.

"Got us another meeting with Claqesous," Grantaire smiled at his fellow agent.

"I hate this stupid game of cat and mouse," Éponine muttered as she turned on her side.

"It's at Parnasse's place tomorrow," Grantaire replied.

"Whatever, just let me sleep," Éponine's voice was muffled by the pillows, soon her breaths became slow, she had fallen asleep again.

The next morning they were greeted by a disgruntled looking Tony, "I can't believe you two."

"What, are you talking about that amazing threesome we had last night?" Grantaire winked.

"R!" Éponine exclaimed.

"Threesome?" Tony raised an eyebrow, "but I thought-"

"April fools man," Grantaire teased him.

"So I didn't lose the bet?" Tony blurted out, "I didn't lose the bet!"

"Come on, get in the car," Grantaire directed, "gotta do some homework and find out about 'Bigfoot'."

"Bigfoot?" Éponine repeated.

"Yeah, 'Bigfoot'," Grantaire nodded, "do you know something about it?"

"Sort of," Éponine admitted it's one of the ways Patron-Minette and other gangs smuggle drugs, via submarine, like some prohibition era bootleggers did."

"Submarine?" Grantaire cocked his head, "'Ponine you are truly magnificent."

"I try," Éponine gave her shoulders a slight shrug as they left the parking lot and drove back to Graceland.  
xxxxxxx  
It was like they had gone full circle, they were once again back at Montparnasse's place. Grantaire and Éponine walked in together and were met by Montparnasse at the door, he led them inside at sat them down at a table.

"So when do we meet Claqesous?" Éponine spoke up.

"All in good time, all in good time," Montparnasse smiled, "I just want to set some things straight before this happens."

"You said we would meet your 'God', Claqesous," Éponine's voice was laced with irritation as she narrowed her eyes. She was sick and tired of these stupid games, between that and the death of her father (even though he had been estranged) it was almost to much bear and her patience was wearing thin.

"Did you know undercover cops can't use on the job?" Montparnasse smirked.

Éponine's heart stopped briefly but she regained composure, "What are you talking about? You've seen me use!"

"Cassie, calm down," Grantaire spoke in a hushed tone.

"Not one of mine you haven't," Montparnasse placed an already prepped hypodermic needle filled with heroine, "prove yourself and then we'll talk about Claqesous."

"Cassie, don't," Grantaire whispered but Éponine just stared coldly at Montparnasse.

Slowly she reached out her hand and took the needle, she tied the tourniquet around her arm and found a vein all the while Grantaire protested silently. "I want to meet your 'God'" she placed the needle into her vein and slowly she pushed down on the plunger. It was a feeling like she had never felt before, pure bliss a happiness she had never felt before in her life and it felt really good. Everything became blurry and she couldn't distinguish what was or was not reality, all she could hear in the distance was Grantaire calling "Cassie" over and over again. Soon everything around her fell away and the world went black.


End file.
